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 ritual
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 exercise
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
The easy solution to the practice’s energy drain, Scott says, is making sure that electricity is coming from renewable sources—a switch that snow towns everywhere from Quebec to the French Alps have already made. —Simmone Shah, Time, 9 Feb. 2026 While Zoe rarely takes on bridal clients, Hannah’s vision fit perfectly with her practice. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Chicago Housing Authority practiced racial segregation by locating most of its public housing in poor neighborhoods, a federal judge ruled in a suit brought by the ACLU three years prior. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026 Hadn’t practiced anything in months. —Kevin Sherrington feb. 10, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for practice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice
  1. rehearsal
  2. ritual
  3. exercise
  4. habit
  5. training
  6. trick
  7. way
Noun
  • This is just a small slice of what goes on daily at the company’s all-inclusive rehearsal and production space in two Tampa warehouses spread across 110,000 square feet.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Lance’s way of dealing with rehearsals and the shooting was very accurate.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of rehearsal
Noun
  • The Spa’s Herb Garden taps the island’s organic bounty, growing plants used in treatments, rituals, and teas.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Feb. 2026
  • In one, second-generation immigrant Gloria (Katy Correa) returns to her father’s home village in rural Guinea-Bissau for a traditional memorial ritual to mark the old man’s recent passing, and to introduce her twentysomething daughter Nour (D’Johé Kouadio) to her ancestral motherland.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • Try adding in a few other dynamic warm-up exercises like high knees, butt kicks, and lunges for a well-rounded pre-run routine, per USA Triathlon.
    — Sarah Klein, Outside, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Physical exercise plays an important role.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • For people managing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, that combination can push eating habits in the wrong direction.
    — Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Runners, instead, should avoid habits like taking them before a race or a hard workout.
    — Dan England, Outside, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of habit
Noun
  • Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, worked through a back issue that sidelined him for all of training camp and passed for a league-best 46 touchdowns and 4,707 yards.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The new study notes that Kanzi’s lexigram training could have primed him to better recognize symbols and that his language training might have changed his brain.
    — Evan Bush, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of training
Noun
  • Seven of the 12 finalists fell in their first run in snowy conditions, which made landing tricks more of a challenge.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Van Der Beek, twisting his remarkable life into a piece of comedy, pulled the same kind of trick.
    — Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of trick
Noun
  • Why Madagascar hissing cockroaches are actually romantic Naming a roach for Valentine’s Day is a great gag, but also these critters are capable of hissing their way into your heart.
    — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
  • But the way the investigation is being carried out is leaving people with some doubts.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of way

Browse Nearby Words

practically
practice
practiced
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Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

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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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