habitual

adjective

ha·​bit·​u·​al hə-ˈbi-ch(ə-)wəl 

ha-,

-ˈbi-chəl

1

: regularly or repeatedly doing or practicing something or acting in some manner : having the nature of a habit : customary

habitual candor

habitual behavior

habitual drug use

2

: regularly or repeatedly doing, practicing, or acting in some manner : doing something by force of habit

habitual drunkards

a habitual liar

3

: resorted to on a regular basis

our habitual diet

4

: inherent in an individual

habitual grace

habitually adverb

habitualness noun

Synonyms

• bred-in-the-bone
• chronic
• confirmed
• dyed-in-the-wool
• inveterate

Choose the Right Synonym for habitual

usual, customary, habitual, wonted, accustomed mean familiar through frequent or regular repetition.

usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

Examples of habitual in a Sentence

He was fired for his habitual lateness.

They went for their habitual evening walk.

Recent Examples on the Web

In a transformative role, Daniel Craig immerses himself into Burroughs’s alter ego William Lee, a habitual heroin user luxuriating in freedom and desiccation among a disconnected group of gay American expatriates in Mexico City in the late 1940s. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2024

Raynaud’s syndrome can be triggered by cold temperatures, stress and habitual activities that involve using your hands, such as playing an instrument or typing on a computer, Wright says. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024

Van Houten ultimately sentenced him to 18 months to 15 years in prison because Jackson-Bolanos is a habitual offender. —Andrea May Sahouri, Detroit Free Press, 9 Aug. 2024

In the film, Craig plays Burroughs’ alter ego, habitual heroin user William Lee, who, while spending time with gay American expatriates in Mexico City in the late 1940s, falls in love and embarks on an affair with the preppy ex-military Eugene Allerton (Starkey). —Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see habit entry 1

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing habitual

• habitual be

Kids Definition

habitual

adjective

ha·​bit·​u·​al hə-ˈbich-(ə-)wəl 

ha-

1

: being or done by habit

habitual tardiness

2

: doing or acting out of habit

habitual talkers

3

: done, followed, or used often or regularly

took our habitual path

habitually

-ē

adverb

habitualness noun

Medical Definition

habitual

adjective

ha·​bit·​u·​al hə-ˈbich-(ə-)wəl, ha-, -ˈbich-əl 

1

: having the nature of a habit : being in accordance with habit

habitual smoking

2

: doing, practicing, or acting in some manner by force of habit

habitual liars

habitually

-ē 

adverb

Legal Definition

habitual

adjective

ha·​bit·​u·​al hə-ˈbi-chə-wəl 

1

: practicing or acting in some manner by force of custom, habit, or addiction

a habitual drunkard

2

: being such a specified number of times or with designated regularity

habitual offenders

3

: involved in the practice of a person's usual behavior

her habitual residence