Definition of habitualnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word habitual distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of habitual are accustomed, customary, usual, and wonted. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

How does the word accustomed relate to other synonyms for habitual?

Accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

When can customary be used instead of habitual?

The meanings of customary and habitual largely overlap; however, customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

When would usual be a good substitute for habitual?

In some situations, the words usual and habitual are roughly equivalent. However, usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

In what contexts can wonted take the place of habitual?

Although the words wonted and habitual have much in common, wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

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 habitual Mouth breathers tend to carry their head forward to open the airway, a subtle shift that can become its own habitual pattern. Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 25 Mar. 2026 The South Florida Sun Sentinel won a Pulitzer Prize for its 2012 investigation of habitual high speeding by some 800 scofflaw police officers, most of whom were off duty. Martin Dyckman, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Mar. 2026 Andy Kahan, director of victim services and advocacy for Crime Stoppers of Houston, said there needs to be more consequences for habitual offenders like Rogers. Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026 Their lies are compulsive and habitual. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for habitual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for habitual
Adjective
  • Peak said mold illness, which includes chronic conditions related to the toxins and bacterium found in mold, is more widespread than mold poisoning, where people might experience severe reactions like blindness.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Roughly 178,000 people die from excessive alcohol use each year in the United States, most from chronic conditions that develop over time.
    Jonathan Hunt-Glassman, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Collective processes involve tiring negotiations, frequent conflicts, and disappointing compromises, both internally among the team and with external interlocutors and partners.
    Adam Szymczyk, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Instead, the woman was sent to one of Hernandez’s frequent placement choices.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • With the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline topping a multiyear high of $4 a gallon, according to AAA, inflation-weary commuters are having a tough time absorbing the energy shock.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • While an appearance in the NBA’s play-in tournament for the fourth straight season still seems likely, the Heat hopes to get back to that winning formula consistently in the final days of the regular season.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Bisexuality was undergoing one of its periodic upticks.
    Jeffrey Eugenides, New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2026
  • According to Industrie Africa, those hurdles included varying compliance capacity and origin-rule complexities, while the act’s periodic renewals created an atmosphere of uncertainty that complicated long-term pricing and fulfilment strategies for exporters.
    Ezreen Benissan, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • After using your home gym: Exercise equipment can collect bacteria and skin microbes through sweat and repeated handling, but these organisms are typically not highly infectious (unless someone is ill).
    Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Its repeated and outrageous communications failures have heightened public outrage and anxiety.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Habitual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/habitual. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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