practice

1 of 2

verb

prac·​tice ˈprak-təs 

variants or less commonly practise

practiced also practised; practicing also practising

transitive verb

1

a

: carry out, apply

practice what you preach

b

: to do or perform often, customarily, or habitually

practice politeness

c

: to be professionally engaged in

practice medicine

2

a

: to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient

practice the act

b

: to train by repeated exercises

practice pupils in penmanship

3

obsolete : plot

intransitive verb

1

: to do repeated exercises for proficiency

2

: to pursue a profession actively

3

archaic : intrigue

4

: to do something customarily

5

: to take advantage of someone

he practised on their credulity with huge success

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

practicer noun

practice

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly practise

1

a

: actual performance or application

ready to carry out in practice what they advocated in principle

b

: a repeated or customary action

had this irritating practice

c

: the usual way of doing something

local practices

d

: the form, manner, and order of conducting legal suits and prosecutions

2

a

: systematic exercise for proficiency

practice makes perfect

b

: the condition of being proficient through systematic exercise

get in practice

3

a

: the continuous exercise of a profession

b

: a professional business

especially : one constituting an incorporeal property

Synonyms

Verb

• exercise
• rehearse
• run over

Noun

• dry run
• rehearsal
• trial

Choose the Right Synonym for practice

habit, practice, usage, custom, wont mean a way of acting fixed through repetition.

habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

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

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

wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

Examples of practice in a Sentence

Verb

To be a good musician, you have to practice a lot.

Have you been practicing your lines for the play?

She had to practice flying in various weather conditions before she could get her pilot's license.

Grandmother taught us to practice good manners.

Practice what you preach—don't smoke if you tell your children not to smoke.

Noun

Being a good musician takes a lot of practice.

I'm sure you'll learn your lines for the play with enough practice.

They'll get better with practice.

I'm late for trumpet practice.

The marching band has practice every Wednesday afternoon.

The team's practices usually last two hours.

She has made a practice of volunteering at a homeless shelter one weekend a month.

The country's poor sanitation practices have led to widespread disease.

Burial practices vary around the world.

It is common practice among my friends to not use capital letters in e-mail.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Justice Department’s civil law jurisdiction is essentially limited to components of government, particularly at the state level, that practice invidious forms of discrimination. —The Editors, National Review, 13 Dec. 2024

In post-grad football, teams of typically 20 to 30 athletes spend four or five months living in motels or temporary housing, practicing in public parks and playing games mostly against each other – and sometimes colleges or their junior-varsity teams – hoping to get noticed. —Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024

Noun

Her practice serves about 160 patients between the ages of 2 and 19 across five centers, and many have Medicaid coverage. —Annie Waldman, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024

His practice also appeals to those looking to avoid the pitfalls of standard, reactionary medical treatments in favor of more natural, preventive options. —William Mullane, Austin American-Statesman, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English practisen, from Middle French practiser, from Medieval Latin practizare, alteration of practicare, from practica practice, noun, from Late Latin practice, from Greek praktikē, from feminine of praktikos

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing practice

• bad practice
• family practice
• general practice
• good practice
• group practice
• in practice
• out of practice
• practice deception on
• practice law
• practice makes perfect
• practice-teach
• practice teaching
• practice what one preaches
• private practice
• put (something) into practice
• sharp practice
• stay/keep in practice

Kids Definition

practice

1 of 2 verb

prac·​tice

variants also practise

ˈprak-təs 

practiced or practised; practicing or practising

1

: to perform or work at over and over so as to become skilled

practice juggling

2

: carry out, apply

practice what you preach

3

: to do or perform often or usually

practice politeness

4

: to engage in or work at as a profession

practice medicine

practicer noun

practice

2 of 2 noun

variants also practise

1

a

: actual performance or application

b

: a repeated or usual action

it was our practice to rise early

c

: the usual way of doing something

local practice

2

a

: action done over and over in order to acquire skill

practice makes perfect

b

: the condition of being skilled through practice

get in practice

3

a

: continuous work in a profession

the practice of law

b

: a professional business

the doctor has expanded her practice

Medical Definition

practice

1 of 2 verb

prac·​tice

variants or practise

ˈprak-təs 

practiced or practised; practicing or practising

transitive verb

: to be professionally engaged in

practice medicine

intransitive verb

: to pursue a profession actively

practice

2 of 2 noun

variants also practise

1

: the continuous exercise of a profession

2

: a professional business

especially : one constituting an incorporeal property

the doctor sold his practice and retired

Legal Definition

practice

noun

prac·​tice

1

: the form and manner of conducting judicial and quasi-judicial proceedings

2

a

: the continuous exercise of a profession

also : the performance of services that are considered to require an appropriate license

engaged in the unauthorized practice of law

b

: a professional business