HABIT Synonyms: 187 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'habit' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of habit are custom , practice , usage , and wont . While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively. // had a habit of tapping his fingers

Q: When is it sensible to use 'custom' instead of 'habit'?

Although the words custom and habit have much in common, custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law. // the custom of wearing black at funerals

Q: In what contexts can 'practice' take the place of 'habit'?

In some situations, the words practice and habit are roughly equivalent. However, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice. // our practice is to honor all major credit cards

Q: When could 'usage' be used to replace 'habit'?

While the synonyms usage and habit are close in meaning, usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm. // western-style dress is now common usage in international business

Q: When can 'wont' be used instead of 'habit'?

The synonyms wont and habit are sometimes interchangeable, but wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group. // as was her wont , she slept until noon

habit 1 of 2

noun

ˈha-bət

Definition of habit

as in ritual

a usual manner of behaving or doing it was his habit to rise early

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in addiction

a physiological need for certain drugs a cocaine habit of long standing

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in physique

the type of body that a person has an imposing man of vigorous habit

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in clothes

archaic covering for the human body dressed in the habit of a knight from the golden age of chivalry

Synonyms & Similar Words

habit

2 of 2

verb

as in to clothe

to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes his exclusive clothing store had habited the town's upper crust for as long as anyone could remember

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun habit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of habit are custom, practice, usage, and wont. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When is it sensible to use custom instead of habit?

Although the words custom and habit have much in common, custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law.

the custom of wearing black at funerals

In what contexts can practice take the place of habit?

In some situations, the words practice and habit are roughly equivalent. However, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When could usage be used to replace habit?

While the synonyms usage and habit are close in meaning, usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm.

western-style dress is now common usage in international business

When can wont be used instead of habit?

The synonyms wont and habit are sometimes interchangeable, but wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of habit

Noun

For teens building their first skincare habits or women redefining self-care as something for themselves rather than for others, this mist is a small but meaningful reminder that confidence can be self-made. — Ethan Stone october 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026 Some social media users claim that their boyfriend’s bad habits resulted in everything from cavities to recurring bacterial vaginosis. — Georgia Casey, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026 In Tinuiti’s 2026 Apparel Marketing Study, researchers said weight-loss drugs are reshaping consumer apparel spending and shopping habits. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 Apple has formed a habit of releasing new MacBooks closer to Halloween, so the new report seems quite believable. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for habit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for habit

Noun

As the investigation uncovers a string of killings linked to a strange ritual, the two are pushed into working together, facing down otherworldly threats as well as unfinished business from Lan’s past.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
As for us, we are engaged in the usual ritual of brewing a cuppa stimulation — our choice today is English breakfast — and foraging for items of interest.

— Ed Silverman, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of ritual

Noun

That growth has fueled disputes with states and Native American tribes over regulatory authority, while drawing scrutiny from sports leagues over game integrity and from advocates who say the platforms’ accessibility increases the risk of addiction.

— Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
As live shopping grows, platforms like Whatnot have also grappled with issues such as theft and addiction claims.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of addiction

Noun

An actor known for his macho presence and muscular physique, Sylvester Stallone does not fit the stereotype of a person with an eating disorder.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Gavin Francis From its origins in the classical physique and homoerotic spectacle, bodybuilding today often involves the use of steroids whose dangers are not properly understood.

— Conor Heffernan, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of physique

Noun

As more institutions devote space to designers and their archives, clothing is increasingly understood as a cultural artifact rather than simply a commercial product.

— Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Check faces, hands, hair, jewelry and clothing for unexpected changes.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of clothing

Verb

Also on the premises are a striking one-bedroom cabin clad entirely in redwood, an outdoor movie pavilion, and sweeping mountain and city lights views from every vantage point.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Union members and their supporters were dressed colorfully, clad in red or green, and their march through the Brussels city center passed off peacefully.

— Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of clothe

Noun

At one point during Thursday’s 45-minute open practice/scrimmage situation, KU head coach Bill Self corrected Rosario for passing instead of taking the open 3-pointer.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026
The plaintiff argues those practices reduced competition among restaurants and led customers to pay higher prices.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of practice

Noun

Propagating the Chair To understand the geometric intuition behind the Chair44 shape, Tsiokos says, imagine a large cube composed of eight tiny cubes that are joined together.

— Rachel Crowell, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026
Chez Fonfon sits at the crux of Five Points South, a neighborhood named for five streets that converge in a star shape where streetcars connecting the then suburb of Highland to the city once rumbled.

— Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of shape

Noun

All in all, the look was par for the course for Roan, well-known for her penchant for eye-catching attire.

— Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2026
While there were some breathtaking gowns on display, these ready-to-wear pieces could easily be selected as the bridal attire for the entire wedding weekend.

— Shelby Wax, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of attire

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“Habit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/habit. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of habit

noun

verb

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