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
The Texas oil industry and its regulators have celebrated a reduction in the burning of climate-warming gases at oil wells, a practice known as flaring. ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025 The online retail giant is cracking down on the practice. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
Patients who join will attend follow-up appointments and research sessions to practice using the device. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2025 Getty Images Five-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz has been spending his days off in New York practicing more than just his tennis. Manasi Pathak, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for practice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice
Noun
  • Feldman, who has been taking part in daily rehearsals with Johnson, explained that his previous experience with dancing significantly differed from learning to master ballroom dance under his partner's guidance.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Practices are held for two hours every Monday, and quartets have additional rehearsals on their own time.
    Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Leaders who treat this period as an opportunity to establish alignment, celebrate progress, and embed new habits set their organizations on a trajectory toward lasting ROI.
    Rhett Power, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Adults who have trouble sleeping or don’t maintain healthy sleeping habits can often trace those issues back to their first few months of life, says Golshevky.
    Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His illness has limited him to light catch play over the past few days, and the shift in plans meant some slight alterations to his routine, which Ireton ran through with club security.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Afterall, your beauty routine should grow with you—just like confidence, wisdom, and self-love.
    Larry Stansbury, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Our bodies do make subtle metabolic adjustments when exercising in hot environments, notes Nelson.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Callahan was given citations for following too closely, failure to exercise due care to avoid a collision with a horse on the highway, and unreasonable speed, according to authorities.
    Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • During the trial, after Cardi took the stand to deliver her testimony, several of her impassioned exchanges with the plaintiff's lawyer, Ron Rosen Janfaza, went viral due to her unfiltered, expletive-laced responses and animated expressions, including eye rolls and shrugs.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • As part of his conviction in a four-day trial in Kenton County Circuit Court, Simpson received a first-degree persistent felony offender enhancement.
    Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As of 2024, about 28% of young adults were living on their own with jobs – the most common milestone pattern among people ages 25 to 34.
    Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The latest clash reflects a broader pattern, with Netanyahu’s government having chronic tensions with the military echelon since the cabinet was sworn in in January 2023, often dismissing military advice.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And unlike Michelle King, the acting agency chief at the time, Dudek was willing to speed up the new-hire training process to give DOGE access to virtually all of the SSA’s databases.
    Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Apple’s repair staff in the European Union were required to complete training for the tech by the end of last week, suggesting some markets may be about to move over.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Another aspect that isn’t terribly sensible is the convertible top, which entails a bit of a ritual to erect, along with side curtains that more or less enclose occupants when inclement weather prevails.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Most children returned to school after Labor Day, the ritual marking the end of summer and the beginning of the academic year.
    Jeanne Allen, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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