wont 1 of 3

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
  • Aimed at improving circularity and extending the life cycle of its products, M&S partnered with Redskinned—a company that repairs, resells and recycles used garments—to operate the eBay storefront.
    Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The price of gasoline has dropped about 6%, and the price of new and used cars has dropped by a little under 1%.
    Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Symptoms include blood in stool or rectal bleeding; changes in bowel habits such as diarrhea, constipation or narrowing of stool that lasts more than a few days; unintended weight loss; and cramps or abdominal pain.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The car was a 2012 Fiat 500, white like the whale, with a transmission that had developed the unfortunate habit of popping out of third gear.
    Mary Norris, New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The spin-off, which NBCU parent Comcast initiated because its cable networks are considered slow-dying properties that weighed down its stock price, was hardly a vote of confidence in the business.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
  • Oppenheimer also initiated a price target of $185, implying an upside of 27%.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Coyotes are a familiar presence in the foothills around Pasadena, Altadena and Burbank, where residents have grown accustomed to spotting the animals in streets and on doorstep cameras.
    Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
  • And Dillingham became accustomed to watching.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But there are tricks to blending in.
    Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Méliès, a prominent French stage magician who turned to filmmaking after seeing the Lumière brothers in Paris in 1895, pioneered theatrical tricks such as double exposure, black screens and forced perspective.
    Eric Henderson, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Families said they were not informed of the cadets’ whereabouts for months and only learned details after filing formal requests with government offices earlier this year.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026
  • To account for increasing interest in the prospect of a new community center, a club at Los Gatos High School was formed to help inform and mobilize their peers and help with the foundation’s surveying efforts and workshops.
    Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • After suffering defeat in the north London derby on his debut as Tottenham Hotspur interim manager, Igor Tudor must find a way to get a positive reaction out of his new players at Craven Cottage this Sunday.
    Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
  • By threading the needle, OpenAI found a way to placate both the Pentagon and its own employees, many of whom are skeptical of AI use in the military.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The eight-time Argentina international is extremely goal-oriented and, with four Premier League seasons under his belt from his time at Manchester United, has the confidence to cut inside, drive forward and shoot.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
  • It’s been strange to adapt, post-pandemic, to a new world oriented around self-taping, as someone who loves connecting with casting directors in-person.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Feb. 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 3 Mar. 2026.

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