Thesaurus results for PRACTICE

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

practice 1 of 2

noun

variants also practise

Definition of practice next

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

as in ritual

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in exercise

something done over and over in order to develop skill practice makes perfect

Synonyms & Similar Words

practice

2 of 2

verb

ˈprak-təs

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

How does the noun practice differ from other similar words?

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When is it sensible to use custom instead of practice?

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

The Wild staff will have two days of practice on Tuesday and Wednesday to sharpen things up before another busy stretch of games, including three in four nights with a back-to-back Saturday and Sunday against the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings, two playoff bubble teams. —

Michael Russo, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026 Erik’s experience led him to create BizReport, a platform focused on helping business owners better understand how LLC formation actually works in practice. —

Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026

Verb

The thing that really did it was when Peter Shor discovered his quantum factoring algorithm in 1994, which meant that classical cryptography, as it was then practiced, would become totally insecure at some future date. —

Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 31 Mar. 2026 The center was also designing and testing mock-ups of a lunar lander, which Armstrong — now the center’s namesake — later used to practice landing on the moon while still here on Earth. —

Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for practice

Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice

Noun

Their flight plan for Friday also included rehearsals of basic medical procedures — including chest compressions and methods to clear airway obstructions — to help prepare future Orion crews for possible emergencies in deep space.

— William Harwood, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
During rehearsals, McCormack welcomed all professional feedback to reach the exacting standards of the realistic medical show, especially when using instruments such as a cranial drill.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of rehearsal

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“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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Synonyms of practice

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