Synonyms of usage

usage

noun

ˈyü-sij 

as in use

the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose

the machine's warranty does not cover malfunctions that result from improper usage

Synonyms & Similar Words

• use
• application
• exercise
• operation
• employment
• play
• exertion
• reuse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disuse
• nonuse

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun usage differ from other similar words?

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

Where would custom be a reasonable alternative to usage?

The synonyms custom and usage are sometimes interchangeable, 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 could habit be used to replace usage?

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

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When might practice be a better fit than usage?

The words practice and usage are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When is wont a more appropriate choice than usage?

While in some cases nearly identical to usage, 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

Recent Examples of usage

To do this, analysts considered a company's greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, waste generation and commitment and disclosures. —Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025

While demand is growing as more panels are produced, improvements in the technology have slashed silver usage per unit by more than half in the past 15 years, Seaver Wang, the director of the climate and energy team at the Breakthrough Institute think tank in California, told me. —Alexander C. Kaufman, The Atlantic, 11 Aug. 2025

Align sales incentives: Update compensation so reps are rewarded for driving usage, not just bookings. —Scott Woody, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025

The usage of nine relievers matched an MLB record for most pitchers used in a shutout. —Kansas City Star, 31 July 2025