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
Even participants who continued healthy eating and exercise habits after stopping medication experienced weight gain. —ABC News, 23 July 2025 Italian longevity expert’s 4 daily habits for a long, healthy life 1. —Renée Onque, CNBC, 23 July 2025 Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California at Berkeley who specializes in digital forensics, said government communication habits need to change. —arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025 After all, everyone has their own unique space, items, routines, and habits. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 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
  • By making this a daily ritual for babies, parents can reap the benefits as well.
    — Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • Wilson reportedly collapsed after being punched in the chest during a fraternity ritual.
    — DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 21 July 2025
Definition of ritual
Noun
  • They are individually haunted by grief and addiction, unable to really be what each other needs.
    — Hattie Williams July 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
  • That none of its victims died provides a glimmer of hope that the scourge of addiction has emerged from the shadows of society.
    — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 July 2025
Definition of addiction
Noun
  • On the basis of his physique and his looks, he was signed in 1954 by Universal and given bit parts while attending acting classes there.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 July 2025
  • For his part, Baron Cohen transformed his physique as evidenced by the cover of Men’s Fitness UK.
    — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 23 July 2025
Definition of physique
Verb
  • One wall is clad with posters of Denzel Washington, Janet Jackson and movies and shows.
    — Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 19 July 2025
  • Four years later, also in Harper’s Weekly, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion’s skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo.
    — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2025
Definition of clothe
Noun
  • This was a common practice in British rule, as seen with the Irish tenant farmers, as well as in Great Britain’s dominant involvement in the slave trade.
    — Tanya Talaga July 24, Literary Hub, 24 July 2025
  • Iron Mountain has identified several key information management practices that every organization should implement to drive superior AI outcomes.
    — Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of practice
Noun
  • Anderson, specifically, took the bob one step further, adding micro bangs to round out the shape.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 15 July 2025
  • In addition to the new sound, the shape of the 6 N is obviously quite a bit different than that of the SUV-silhouette of the Ioniq 5.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2025
Definition of shape
Noun
  • According to this report, there’s concern about an AI companion named Bad Rudy, who is described as vulgar and antagonizing, and an AI companion named Ani, who is described as willing to shed her clothing.
    — Eric Wood, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
  • Dress for comfort: Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing to stay cool.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2025
Definition of clothing
Verb
  • In another, cucumber kimchi, a fresh and crunchy side dressed in gochujang with a fiery kick that cuts through the richness filling the rest of my tray.
    — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 22 July 2025
  • The video ends with Obama dressed in an orange jumpsuit in a jail cell.
    — Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 July 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 29 Jul. 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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