second nature

noun

: an acquired deeply ingrained habit or skill

after a while, using the gearshift becomes second nature

Examples of second nature in a Sentence

After a while, using the gearshift becomes second nature. speaking and thinking in Japanese simply became second nature to her during the years she spent in Kyoto

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Legal drama is second nature to David E. Kelley, whose Emmy recognition in the genre spans three decades, from L.A. Law in the 1980s and The Practice and Ally McBeal in the ’90s to Boston Legal in the 2000s. —

Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024 With vibrant citrus notes and a distinctive saline minerality, these wines are the ultimate companion to shellfish (oysters are second nature here) and Mediterranean cuisine. —

Jill Barth, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Twilight of the professors The practice of accommodating academic spouses is now second nature in higher education. —

Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024 Decades ago all of this would have been second nature. —

Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for second nature

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of second nature was in 1582

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Second nature.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/second%20nature. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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