practice 1 of 2

noun

variants also practise
Definition of practicenext
1
as in rehearsal
a private performance or session in preparation for a public appearance we held one last practice before the big concert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in habit
a usual manner of behaving or doing the store's practice has always been to honor all major credit cards

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in routine
something done over and over in order to develop skill practice makes perfect

Synonyms & Similar Words

practice

2 of 2

verb

ˈprak-təs How to pronounce practice (audio)
variants also practise
as in to exercise
to do over and over so as to become skilled in order to play the guitar well, you need to practice fingering every single day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun practice differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of practice are custom, habit, usage, and wont. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When is it sensible to use custom instead of practice?

The words custom and practice can be used in similar contexts, 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 can habit be used instead of practice?

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

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When could usage be used to replace practice?

Although the words usage and practice 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

When is wont a more appropriate choice than practice?

While the synonyms wont and practice are close in meaning, 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

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 practice
Noun
On Thursday, she was joined by fellow House Democrats all denouncing the travel ban as a discriminatory practice against Black and Brown nations. —Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025 That patient practice will be put to use in 2027 when the first Axiom space station module goes aloft and docks with the ISS. —Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 6 June 2025
Verb
Make a conscious effort to practice good cyber hygiene. —Adam Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 Connor lives full time on the property, and both young men are active in caring for the property and learning the art skills practiced by their grandfather. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for practice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice
  1. rehearsal
  2. habit
  3. routine
  4. exercise
  5. trial
  6. pattern
  7. training
  8. ritual
Noun
  • The directors embedded themselves into the troupe’s daily routine, following the students from early morning classes through evening rehearsals that stretched well past midnight.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • Both carved out hours of rehearsal and dance practice with regular training.
    — Emma Moon, Charlotte Observer, 5 June 2025
Definition of rehearsal
Noun
  • He is used to mowing his lawn shirtless and in shorts – especially on hotter days – but recently, what seemed like a harmless habit sparked unexpected drama with his neighbors across the street.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 7 June 2025
  • Students leave with answers, but more importantly, with the habit of questioning their own choices and understanding the consequences.
    — Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of habit
Noun
  • Most Southern gardeners have their vegetable garden planted, summer annuals in the ground and already blooming, containers set with thrillers, fillers, and spillers, the lawn fertilized, and their mowing routine down.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
  • Torrance discovers that their championship routines have been stolen from the squad of a less privileged all-Black school.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
Definition of routine
Verb
  • Throughout late life, Marianne Moore exercised her imagination on a wide range of real activities, institutions, sites, and people—including baseball fans.
    — Susan Gubar June 9, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
  • Republicans have begun to investigate whether aides exercised presidential power in Biden’s name without his express permission or full awareness.
    — Sarah Bedford, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • That’s why Unlearn emphasizes rigorous validation within each trial’s specific context.
    — Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
  • The ongoing trial, however, has laid bare allegations that drugs have seemingly been as much a part of Combs’ past as professional success.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 3 June 2025
Definition of trial
Noun
  • Suburbs around Minneapolis and Boston exhibited similar patterns, a reversal of traditional expectations where cities, rather than suburbs, drew the majority of renters.
    — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
  • The sneakers have bandana scarf patterns that are heavily featured in the designer’s 2025 high summer capsule collection.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 5 June 2025
Definition of pattern
Noun
  • That is rare in the current AI landscape, where most training options come from consultants or influencers with little oversight.
    — Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • While the Washington Commanders still have some time to avoid seeing their key wide receiver act as a holdout for training camp, the process will only get more difficult as time goes on.
    — Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
Definition of training
Noun
  • Different communities worship different icons and have different ways of performing the rituals.
    — Foster Klug, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
  • When your workday ends, physically close your laptop, turn off work notifications and transition into personal time with intentional rituals.
    — Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of ritual

Browse Nearby Words

practically
practice
practiced
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on practice

Nglish: Translation of practice for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about practice

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