WONT Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of wont are custom , habit , practice , and usage . While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group. // as was her wont , she slept until noon

Q: When could 'custom' be used to replace 'wont'?

The words custom and wont are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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: When might 'habit' be a better fit than 'wont'?

While the synonyms habit and wont are close in meaning, habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively. // had a habit of tapping his fingers

Q: Where would 'practice' be a reasonable alternative to 'wont'?

The synonyms practice and wont are sometimes interchangeable, but practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice. // our practice is to honor all major credit cards

Q: When would 'usage' be a good substitute for 'wont'?

Although the words usage and wont 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

wont 1 of 3

adjective

ˈwȯnt

Definition of wont

as in used

being in the habit or custom she paced about the room, as she is wont to do whenever she is agitated

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wont

2 of 3

noun

as in habit

a usual manner of behaving or doing he got up early, as is his wont

Synonyms & Similar Words

wont

3 of 3

verb

as in to initiate

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun wont differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of wont are custom, habit, practice, and usage. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

When could custom be used to replace wont?

The words custom and wont are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 might habit be a better fit than wont?

While the synonyms habit and wont are close in meaning, habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

Where would practice be a reasonable alternative to wont?

The synonyms practice and wont are sometimes interchangeable, but practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When would usage be a good substitute for wont?

Although the words usage and wont 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wont

Adjective

But the flavors picked up from its time in used barrels remain, with notes of coconut, butterscotch, and caramel mingling with fresh fruit and citrus flavors on the palate.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026
In the center of town, check out Inquiring Minds Bookstore for used and new books with a great kids’ section or Enoki for an eclectic mix of Asian pantry items and vintage clothing.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of used

Noun

Looking for a solution to a nagging health issue or bad habit?

— USA TODAY, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Differing opinions, interests, schedules, habits, and cleanliness standards can all stack up to turn what was supposed to be a fun group trip into something entirely the opposite.

— Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of habit

Adjective

For those companies still accustomed to operating analog systems, there is often a shrinking pool of talent specializing in legacy technologies, with more of them retiring every year.

— Timor Brik, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Many astronomers are accustomed to downloading data from Hubble and Webb onto personal computers.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of accustomed

Noun

The Cinderella dress that Kaitlyn Argyriou’s mother had sewn for her as a child and which Argyriou’s daughter, Avery, 4, had planned to wear trick-or-treating in Colorado Springs on Halloween.

— Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
The tips and tricks for maintaining hosiery that used to be passed down by family and friends are in danger of being lost to time and ever-changing fashion trends.

— Jolie Kerr, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of trick

Noun

While spoken language might benefit us in myriad ways, no single activity requires it, let alone explains what triggered its ongoing evolution over tens to hundreds of thousands of years.

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
For nearly two additional years, all the way to a six-hour cut of the movie that went deep on Musk’s 2025 DOGE era and his SpaceX IPO plate-spin this summer.

— Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of way

Verb

With a body thrashed by occupational hazards, Hsu, who is forty-four, orients his life nowadays around running Sci-Fi Fantasy, his skate company, and roaming the city to take pictures.

— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
This vision of modernity, oriented towards the future, never materialized in the way its architects foresaw.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of orient

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.

Browse Nearby Words

won (over)

wont

wonted

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Wont.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wont. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of wont

adjective

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inexorable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes