practice 1 of 2

variants also practise

practice

2 of 2

verb

variants also practise
as in to exercise
to do over and over so as to become skilled in order to play the guitar well, you need to practice fingering every single day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun practice differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of practice are custom, habit, usage, and wont. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When is it sensible to use custom instead of practice?

The words custom and practice can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When can habit be used instead of practice?

In some situations, the words habit and practice are roughly equivalent. However, habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When could usage be used to replace practice?

Although the words usage and practice have much in common, 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 is wont a more appropriate choice than practice?

While the synonyms wont and practice are close in meaning, 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 practice
Noun
Kennedy mentioned Sanders' position during the May 12 news conference at the White House, prompting the senator to reply that the best way to turn the idea into practice is for Trump to support legislation on the issue. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 13 May 2025 The brand combines state-of-the-art technology with the mindfulness of traditional Asian healing practices, offering a blend of wellness and recreation that resonates with both older and younger generations. Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
Verb
Friday’s rookie minicamp was the first time Taylor practiced with teammates since leaving LSU. Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 9 May 2025 For some years, the Octagon was home to Ohio’s militia, a forerunner to today’s National Guard; during the summer, soldiers would erect tents and practice training exercises. Kevin Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for practice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice
Noun
  • Choir rehearsals are now at 9 a.m. Saturdays, with concert choir rehearsals at 10 a.m. The GriefShare Support Group meets from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays.
    Carin Schoppmeyer, Arkansas Online, 17 May 2025
  • Universal notes that not everything may be available during this technical rehearsal phase, while operations are being fine-tuned for the grand opening.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Develop active listening habits Practice focusing entirely on what others are saying rather than formulating your response.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • Encourage critical thinking, discussions about activism or policy, and personal responsibility, such as changing their consumption habits or volunteering.
    Taylor Grothe, Parents, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • Here are some tips for incorporating creatine into your daily routine: Take it consistently, even on rest days, to get the most out of creatine benefits.
    Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 8 May 2025
  • Add these seven nightly cleaning tasks to your daily routine.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • The two will soon start hovering in the near future, further exercising their flight muscles and making their way from the nest to nearby branches.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • As the sovereign head of the Vatican and supreme authority over Vatican entities, including its financial institutions, Pope Leo XIV arguably exercises such control.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • The texts were read in court for the first trial on May 24, 2024, by Higgins himself.
    Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 10 May 2025
  • What do these names have to do with the Diddy trial?
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • Years later, his relationship with singer Cassie and his on-and-off romantic relationship with actress Kat Pasion may also show patterns of alleged abuse.
    Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 12 May 2025
  • The musical chairs come as The Voice will have a slightly different pattern in terms of scheduling for its fall season.
    Peter White, Deadline, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • The landmark law flooded the higher education system with federal money (and, eventually, lots of student loan debt) with the goal of training generations of new engineers.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 9 May 2025
  • Ottawa would then have to work out how to make sure supply chains, logistics and training for entirely different types of aircraft are there, too, Bronk said.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • In each iteration, the body of the deceased was pulled by livestock or carried by boat while mourners performed rituals to honor their lives and, in some cultures, to encourage safe passage for the spirit into the afterlife.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
  • Generations pass, cultures overlap, and trends evolve, but the sanctity of beauty rituals for and by ourselves remain.
    Cierra Black, Essence, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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