habit 1 of 2

1
2
as in addiction
a physiological need for certain drugs a cocaine habit of long standing

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in physique
the type of body that a person has an imposing man of vigorous habit

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

habit

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun habit differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of habit are custom, practice, usage, and wont. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When is it sensible to use custom instead of habit?

Although the words custom and habit have much in common, 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

In what contexts can practice take the place of habit?

In some situations, the words practice and habit are roughly equivalent. However, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

When could usage be used to replace habit?

While the synonyms usage and habit are close in meaning, 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 can wont be used instead of habit?

The synonyms wont and habit are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 habit
Noun
To help rule out other possible conditions, your healthcare provider may ask about your alcohol use, medications, lifestyle habits, and symptoms. Mark Gurarie, Health, 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 Maintaining a high credit score requires responsible financial habits, such as making timely payments, paying off debt, and avoiding new credit applications before applying for a mortgage. True Tamplin, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 Walk with your children to teach them healthy habits. Anju Goel, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for habit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for habit
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
Noun
  • During the council’s final vote, several members shared their own stories of addiction and loss because of tobacco.
    Jodi Radke, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The state agencies charged with addressing hard drug addiction and the safe use of cannabis are failing to educate the public as to the dangers of drug use.
    Howard Husock, New York Daily News, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Another image captures him in white underwear against a three-way mirror, showcasing his toned physique and rock-hard abs from multiple angles.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2025
  • That was like a very iconic style of the 1920s, to really showcase that waist and the man's physique.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Thousands of demonstrators clad in canary-yellow soccer jerseys thronged Copacabana Beach this month in support of a leader accused of conspiring to overthrow Brazil’s young democracy.
    Constance Malleret, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar. 2025
  • As noted in a 2016 Smithsonian report, merchant ships clad with the dazzle pattern during the war were reportedly granted lower insurance premiums.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • With a week of spring practice under their belt, Tim Albin’s Charlotte 49ers have put on pads and are ramping up for the first live practices of the offseason.
    Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 26 Mar. 2025
  • For leaders committed to elevating their mentorship, honing the right skills is essential, and the best way to do that is through practice.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • By some key measures, the economy remains in solid shape, however.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Jillian Michaels shares easy way for people to start fitness journeys Fitness expert Jillian Michael shares the one simple workout that can help Americans get in shape and extend their lifespan by up to seven years.
    Ashley J. DiMella Fox News, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Kim Kardashian’s shapewear and clothing brand Skims is set to expand its reach into skincare, cosmetics and fragrance, uniting Kardashian’s fashion and beauty empire all under one imprint after acquiring Kardashian’s beauty brand Skkn by Kim.
    Rachel Burchfield, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Even the Lovells’ clothing and that of their bandmates spoke to the working-class history of country music: Everyone onstage wore matching denim shirts and pants.
    Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The second man was found lying on a bed fully dressed and wearing black gloves, police said.
    Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
  • First, Osborne is snapped while dressed in a white suit, lovingly holding Washington's hand.
    Dave Quinn, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Habit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/habit. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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