Definition of wontnext

wont

2 of 3

noun

wont

3 of 3

verb

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
  • Monstera’s, an independent bookstore that sells both new and used books, plants, stationery, records, gifts and more, was started in March 2024 by owner Kate Wieners.
    Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
  • The manufacturer opened an investigation into the issue in April and used supplier and vehicle production records to determine which vehicles were affected, according to the report.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • Stay consistent Don’t automatically change your watering habits just because the temperature changes.
    Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
  • For now, facelifts before retirement age remain a niche habit of the unusually wealthy and vain.
    Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
Verb
  • The bank initiated coverage of the telecommunications giant with an underweight rating.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 8 July 2026
  • This broad mission translates into a wide variety of programs, most of which are initiated by individual chapters according to their own priorities.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 July 2026
Adjective
  • Wildlife officials have warned of the dangers of wolves becoming overly accustomed to feeding on cattle as opposed to their natural prey of elk or deer.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Entrepreneurs are accustomed to operating businesses where concentrated risk and decisive action are rewarded.
    Robert Balentine, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • Australia responded six minutes later following a trick lineout move involving hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa throwing to scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan at the front, getting the return pass and starting the movement that finished with him scoring.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • By stop-starting Gvardiol — a trick that lulls defenders into a false sense of security — and then faking to go one way and then the other, Messi found space where there seemed to be none and set up Julian Alvarez for Argentina’s third goal.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • Emergency responders arrived on the scene and were informed that the victim had been pulled by the current flowing through Sebonac Creek into the Great Peconic Bay, the statement said.
    Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 6 July 2026
  • The company also informed members about 2026 premium changes through phone calls, text messages, regular mail, or email, Baiocchi said.
    Susan Jaffe, NPR, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Should the seafood-averse find their way through the door, look to an excellent roast chicken in ham jus, accompanied by a welcome splotch of mustard.
    Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • This one seems to wrap all the way around the entirety of his head, emitting light that’s supposed to be beneficial for his scalp and hair growth.
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 July 2026
Verb
  • Younger consumers may be especially experience-oriented, but older travelers are also thinking carefully about limited time, budget and meaning.
    Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Most crucially, the authors said these filaments were oriented in certain directions more than others.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 9 July 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Wont.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wont. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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