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
On Thursday, she was joined by fellow House Democrats all denouncing the travel ban as a discriminatory practice against Black and Brown nations. Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025 That patient practice will be put to use in 2027 when the first Axiom space station module goes aloft and docks with the ISS. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 June 2025
Verb
Make a conscious effort to practice good cyber hygiene. Adam Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 Connor lives full time on the property, and both young men are active in caring for the property and learning the art skills practiced by their grandfather. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for practice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice
Noun
  • In that scene, there were rehearsals, an intimacy coordinator was present, and the set was closed.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 28 May 2025
  • To show up and work like this every rehearsal, every performance, every day, McDonald has become an emotional athlete.
    Charlotte Alter, Time, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • Standout Interviewee Habits: How to Take Things to the Next Level Deliver a clear personal pitch To stand out from the crowd, Marino-Briggs recommends a few key habits.
    Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • In addition, he’s also made a habit of gathering a handful of players together every night for a dinner at the Cowboys’ members-only speakeasy restaurant on the top level of The Star in Frisco, Cowboys Club.
    Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • Venus enters Pisces on January 1 and should support your productivity levels, encouraging a fresh perspective on your daily routines.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
  • Deliberately cultivate moments of awe in your routine, both with and without AI assistance.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Verb
  • The Leafs still need to exercise caution, particularly in free agency, and not splurge just for the sake of it.
    Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • The Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed that the island is a reef and therefore not entitled to an exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and the ship thus has the right to exercise the freedom of the high seas.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • That’s why Unlearn emphasizes rigorous validation within each trial’s specific context.
    Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • The ongoing trial, however, has laid bare allegations that drugs have seemingly been as much a part of Combs’ past as professional success.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • Talk with your healthcare provider to understand the root cause of your food cravings and develop an eating pattern that meets your needs.
    Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 5 June 2025
  • That pattern held, and by the end Gauff had claimed 34 of the 51 points that lasted at least five strokes.
    Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Superintendent Lee White said funds from the oil and gas industry paid for a new wing at the elementary school, a science lab for students, turf on the sports field and training for teachers.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
  • Your First Diagnosis The Hofstra 4+4 Program: BS-BA/MD consists of four years of undergraduate education followed by four years of medical school training, seamlessly integrated into a single pathway.
    Kristen Moon, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • When your workday ends, physically close your laptop, turn off work notifications and transition into personal time with intentional rituals.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Different communities worship different icons and have different ways of performing the rituals.
    Foster Klug, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.

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