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
To help people become more comfortable receiving feedback, organizations can: • Frame feedback as a growth opportunity rather than criticism. • Teach employees to separate feedback from personal identity. • Normalize the feedback process through regular practice. —Jessica Kriegel, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Unfortunately, many common practices in strength-training workouts can reinforce these imbalances. —Dana Santas, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
The period has been practiced every spring for thousands of years to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. —Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025 The study will be led by a vaccine skeptic who was previously disciplined for practicing medicine without a license. —Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 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
  • Other times, though, the detours seem to be engineered solely for the purpose of indulging Fielder’s weirdest whims (and, of course, spending HBO’s money on ornate and bizarre rehearsal sets).
    — Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The stage manager is responsible for the smooth and efficient running of the production, from rehearsals to performances.
    — Anne Gelhaus, Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of rehearsal
Noun
  • Digestive issues: If protein intake is high and fiber intake is low, changes in bowel habits, like constipation or diarrhea, may occur.
    — Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD, Verywell Health, 18 Apr. 2025
  • This highlights the immense impact of AI on people’s spending habits.
    — Roman Eloshvili, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of habit
Noun
  • How to Clean to Remove Allergens When pollen counts are high, a new (and more frequent) cleaning routine can help ensure your home remains a safe haven.
    — Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Every little element of his pre-race routine and preparations with his trainer, Aleix Casanovas, is getting more refined.
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of routine
Verb
  • Line dancing is a great way to exercise your mind and body.
    — Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025
  • In Khalil's case, immigration authorities had discretion to grant temporary humanitarian release—a practice regularly employed for circumstances like family births or deaths—but chose not to exercise.
    — Juwayriah Wright, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • Judge Scott Gordon denied the defense motion and sent the case to trial in Judge Ronald Coen's courtroom.
    — Greg Fisher, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The tech giant went to court on Monday in an antitrust trial focused on its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp.
    — Bluesky Social, Bluesky Social, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of trial
Noun
  • The atra tree snake, named after the Latin word for black, was identified by its size, coloring, and scale pattern.
    — Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2025
  • You’re being asked to name your needs, listen to others’ needs too, understand your relational patterns, and commit to the process of transformation.
    — Colin Bedell, Them., 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of pattern
Noun
  • That guess is the result of elaborate training, conducted on what amounts to the entirety of accessible human achievement.
    — D. Graham Burnett, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Many professionals will need a combination of work experience and additional education or training beyond their college degree to secure good professional jobs.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of training
Noun
  • From home births to birth centers, spiritual rituals to structural advocacy, their choices aren’t just personal, but collective.
    — Stephanie Long, Essence, 17 Apr. 2025
  • According to a new WalletHub survey, many consumers are planning to skip some of the holiday's traditional rituals like dyeing eggs because of high prices.
    — Matt Robison, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of ritual

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 29 Apr. 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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