practice 1 of 2

variants also practise

practice

2 of 2

verb

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
Since 2022, drivers who have participated in no more than two F1 races in their careers have been able to drive each of a team’s two cars during the first practice of a race weekend – once in each of their cars, so twice in a full season. Ben Morse, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025 Prior to his most recent role, Laurinaitis held a leadership position as a senior managing director at The Blackstone Group in its restructuring practice and served as a turnaround consultant and auditor at Arthur Andersen. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Get ready to practice your knife skills All products are independently selected by our editors. Noah Kaufman, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2025 The man's lawyers, in a last-ditch appeal, also argued the method would infringe on Hoffman's freedom to practice religion, specifically his Buddhist breathing and meditation in the moments leading up to death. arkansasonline.com, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for practice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for practice
Noun
  • Bringing them together to stage a full company show is quite expensive and requires more than a year of planning and rehearsal residencies, Richburg said.
    Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The elephant in O’Brien’s rehearsal room is the presence of Beatty and Hawke, two young actors with storied names and few credits.
    Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Incorporating small, intentional health habits into daily routines can yield significant physical and emotional benefits.
    Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 14 Mar. 2025
  • When Mercury moves into Pisces on March 30, your mindset and communication habits come under review.
    Colin Bedell, Them, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The routine is as important to UCLA’s daily schedule as stretching and on-court practice.
    Austin Knoblauch, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Between the influx of personal trainers, personal coaches and personal nutritionists, baseball is numb to the player whose routine is not that of his team’s.
    Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin has urged citizens to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act to request access to any personal data collected by DOGE.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
  • For example, bone is constantly being remodeled in response to exercise or inactivity.
    Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The midfielder travelled to the United States for separate trial periods but decided against a move.
    Colin Millar, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Sharon is the first member of the coven to die after the first of the five trials; meanwhile, the rest of the coven fends off further danger, faces new challenges, and even adds a new member to their ranks, replacing poor Sharon almost immediately.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 23 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • With the data collected over the years, researchers were able to develop a clearer picture of the sharks’ movements and behavior patterns in the area.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Choose from 31 colors and patterns, and enjoy the flowy material that one shopper called lightweight, comfortable, and easy to pack.
    Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The combatant commands are the main mechanism through which the U.S. conducts global military operations, including peacetime training exercises and wartime combat missions.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The program will accept up to 20 candidates who demonstrate a passion for visual storytelling, have on-set experience and are looking for additional training to advance their education, craft and career.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In this case, the prayer is the Taraweeh, a nightly ritual of Ramadan.
    Eric Nagourney, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Build rituals that connect your team across time zones.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/practice. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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