habit 1 of 2

noun

ˈha-bət How to pronounce habit (audio)
Definition of habitnext
1
as in ritual
a usual manner of behaving or doing it was his habit to rise early

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
as in clothes
archaic covering for the human body dressed in the habit of a knight from the golden age of chivalry

Synonyms & Similar Words

habit

2 of 2

verb

as in to clothe
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes his exclusive clothing store had habited the town's upper crust for as long as anyone could remember

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Nevertheless, rethinking your alcohol drinking habits can help protect your health and reduce your cancer risk. —Pranoti Mandrekar, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025 Please get into the habit of shredding as much as possible all year long. —Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025 Wen: This study examined dietary habits of people through their 40s, 50s and 60s. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025 As global media and consumption habits evolve, the NBA wishes to capitalize on opportunities to produce games in new and unique ways, the commissioner said. —Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for habit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for habit
  1. ritual
  2. addiction
  3. physique
  4. clothe
  5. practice
  6. shape
  7. clothing
  8. dress
Noun
  • In 2025, that emotional fast food ritual is back, this time pixelated and playfully spicy.
    — Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The fitness influencer recently achieved immense internet fame after a Feb. 7 video showcasing his six-hour wellness ritual recirculated across different social media platforms.
    — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • During Allen’s parole hearing, Jerry Goodwin, then warden at the David Wade Correctional Center in Homer, where Allen was being held, lauded Allen for his tireless work overcoming his drug addictions and improving his communication skills.
    — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 10 Apr. 2025
  • During the second part of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 14 reunion, the sisters provided an update on how the former reality star was faring after relapsing into her alcohol addiction.
    — Esther Kang, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of addiction
Noun
  • Just as skipping leg day at the gym leads to an unbalanced physique, skipping structural deregulation while preserving agencies and programs that should be eliminated leaves the economy vulnerable to permanent federal steering.
    — Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Michigan cornerback Will Johnson Johnson looks like Jalen Ramsey in appearance, physique, and style of play.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of physique
Verb
  • The en suite bath, clad in fine stone and stained silver oak, includes a rain-steam shower and a separate water closet.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Martinez, clad only in his boxers, was arrested and hit with numerous gun possession charges.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of clothe
Noun
  • The practice was used in 2018 during the first Trump term, when the Senate voted on the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court as an associate justice.
    — Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The Horned Frogs will return to practice at 6 p.m. Friday.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of practice
Noun
  • For now, the economy remains in solid shape by several key measures.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Its rectangular shape evokes a vintage cigarette pouch, and every detail harks back to the fashion house’s extensive, industry-defining legacy.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of shape
Noun
  • On the first Sunday of every month from October to May, roughly 200 vendors set up all kinds of colorful, sleek wares, including retro furniture, funky art, and ’60s glassware, plus vintage clothing and jewelry.
    — Sara Bliss, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Indeed, Huntsman has created bespoke women’s clothing for more than 175 years, and during this time has dressed some of the world’s most influential women, including Coco Chanel, Grace Kelly, Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor.
    — Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of clothing
Verb
  • An armed man dressed in black and wearing a mask broke into the apartment, and kept asking for money, Rainge told investigators.
    — Mark Price, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Within seconds, the door was opened by a faceless robot dressed in a beige bodysuit that clung tight to its trim waist and long legs.
    — Cade Metz, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of dress

Browse Nearby Words

habilitating
habit
habitable
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Cite this Entry

“Habit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/habit. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on habit

Nglish: Translation of habit for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about habit

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