habit

habit — noun

1. A regular action or way of behaving that a person repeats so often it becomes au

1.nounA2
Definition

A regular action or way of behaving that a person repeats so often it becomes automatic and may be done without thinking.

Example

Ryo developed a habit of jogging every morning before breakfast.

habit of + gerund for frequent personal routines

Out of habit, Trang checked her phone the moment she opened her eyes.

out of habit — adverb phrase for automatic behaviour

Common collocations
  • habit of + gerund
  • out of habit
  • by habit
  • force of habit
  • break a habit
  • develop a habit
  • form a habit
Synonyms
  • routine

    more neutral and planned; a routine is a scheduled sequence, whereas a habit may be unconscious

  • practice

    more deliberate and methodical; used especially in professional or ethical contexts

  • custom

    shared by a group or culture, not individual; wider social scope than habit

Antonyms
  • exception

    an instance that breaks the usual pattern

  • once-off

    a single occurrence, not repeated

Grammar Patterns

habit of + doing something

possessive + habit

out of habit

by habit

Usage Note

Commonly used with a possessive or the structure 'habit of + gerund' to describe a person's particular routine. 'Out of habit' and 'by habit' function as adverb phrases indicating automatic action without conscious choice.

2. A repeated action or behaviour that another person finds irritating, unpleasant,

2.nounB1
Definition

A repeated action or behaviour that another person finds irritating, unpleasant, or rude.

Example

Elena's brother has an annoying habit of leaving empty milk cartons in the fridge.

annoying habit of + gerund for unwanted behaviour

Ilan could not stand his colleague's habit of clicking a pen loudly during meetings.

Common collocations
  • annoying habit
  • bad habit
  • irritating habit
  • annoying habit of + gerund
Synonyms
  • annoying mannerism

    specifically a small, repeated physical gesture rather than a general behaviour pattern

  • nuisance

    the behaviour itself rather than the pattern; less focused on repetition

Grammar Patterns

annoying habit of + gerund

possessive + habit

Usage Note

The adjective describing the habit (annoying, irritating, nasty, frustrating) usually comes before 'habit'. This sense is nearly always singular and tied to a specific person's repeated action.

3. A strong physical or psychological dependence on a substance such as a drug, alc

3.nounB2
Definition

A strong physical or psychological dependence on a substance such as a drug, alcohol, or cigarettes, that forces a person to take more of it on a regular basis.

Example

The doctor warned Cyrus that his smoking habit could lead to serious lung problems.

substance + habit: smoking / drinking / drug habit

Naoko's painkiller habit grew so severe that her family urged her to see a doctor.

substance + habit: painkiller habit — addiction-sense

Common collocations
  • drug habit
  • smoking habit
  • drinking habit
  • cocaine habit
  • break a habit
  • feed a habit
Synonyms
  • addiction

    stronger and more clinical; implies compulsion and physical dependence more directly

  • dependence

    more formal and medical; can be physical or psychological

Antonyms
  • abstinence

    the state of refraining completely from a substance

Grammar Patterns

smoking / drinking / drug habit

noun + habit

Usage Note

Often appears in medical and public health contexts. 'Habit' in this sense is softer than 'addiction' but covers the same compulsive substance use. The modifier (smoking, drinking, drug) is nearly always present to clarify which substance.

4. A long-established routine or behaviour pattern that a person decides to stop or

4.nounB1
Definition

A long-established routine or behaviour pattern that a person decides to stop or overcome, especially one that is unwanted or unhealthy.

Example

After ten years of biting his nails, Christopher decided to break the habit for good.

break the habit for good — permanently stopping

Élise stayed up past midnight for so long that kicking the habit was very hard.

kick the habit — informal phrasal verb

Common collocations
  • break the habit
  • kick the habit
  • stop the habit
  • the habit of + gerund
Synonyms
  • compulsion

    stronger internal urge; less about routine and more about psychological pressure

  • vice

    a morally negative habit; narrower and more judgmental

Grammar Patterns

break / kick / stop the habit

the habit of + gerund

Usage Note

Almost always appears in expressions like 'break the habit', 'kick the habit', or 'stop the habit'. The habit in this sense is the target of a deliberate effort to quit. Frequently used in humorous or lightly critical contexts.

5. A long, loose robe that serves as the traditional garment of people living in a

5.nounB2
Definition

A long, loose robe that serves as the traditional garment of people living in a religious community, such as a monastery.

Example

The Buddhist monk's simple brown habit was made of rough cotton cloth.

colour + habit: describes the distinctive robe

Ryo watched as the nuns walked past in their long white habits and black veils.

Common collocations
  • monk's habit
  • nun's habit
  • religious habit
  • brown habit
  • white habit
  • black habit
Synonyms
  • robe

    a general term for any long loose garment; less specific to religious orders

  • cassock

    a close-fitting ankle-length garment worn by clergy; different cut from a monastic habit

Usage Note

Distinct from general 'clothing' — a habit is specifically the religious garment of monastic orders. The colour and material often indicate the specific order (e.g. brown for Franciscans, black for Benedictines, white for Dominicans).

6. A specific type of clothing or outfit designed for horseback riding, especially

6.nounC1
Definition

A specific type of clothing or outfit designed for horseback riding, especially a traditional woman's formal riding costume consisting of a long skirt or close-fitting trousers, a jacket, boots, and a hat.

Example

At the horse show, each rider wore a neatly pressed black habit with polished boots.

colour + habit — describes riding attire

Naoko's grandmother kept a traditional riding habit in the wardrobe, complete with a long skirt.

Common collocations
  • riding habit
  • equestrian habit
  • black habit
  • formal habit
Synonyms
  • riding wear

    modern term for any clothing worn for horseback riding; broader in scope

  • equestrian attire

    formal term covering modern and traditional riding clothes

Usage Note

Historically referred to a woman's formal riding outfit. In modern equestrian contexts, the term has largely been replaced by 'riding wear' or 'equestrian attire', though 'habit' survives in traditional or historical descriptions.

Idioms

force of habit

idiom

A behavior that is done automatically because it has been repeated many times before.

Every morning, Min locks the door by force of habit.

Did you turn left out of force of habit, or on purpose?

habit — verb

Word family

  • habitual
    adjectiveB2
  • habitually
    adverbB2
  • habituate
    verbC1
  • habituation
    nounC1
  • habited
    adjectiveC2
  • creature of habit
    idiomB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe repeated behaviour, but they differ in scope and intention. A habit is a personal, often unconscious repeated action — for example, biting your nails or checking your phone without thinking. A custom is a shared tradition belonging to a group or culture, such as giving red envelopes at Lunar New Year. A practice is a deliberate, repeated method of doing something, often in a professional or ethical context — for example, safe farming practices or best hiring practices. A routine is a planned sequence of actions that structures a day or process, such as a morning routine of stretching, showering, and eating breakfast. You can have a habit without planning it, but a routine is usually intentional. For example: 'Yuna had a habit of tapping her foot during exams.' 'It is a local custom to bow when greeting elders.' 'The hospital follows strict cleaning practices.' 'His daily routine includes a walk after lunch.'

habit ↗custom ↗practice ↗routine ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • out of
  • by
  • from force of

Phrases

  • out of habit
  • by habit
  • from force of habit
  • creature of habit

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'habit' comes from Latin 'habitus', meaning 'condition, appearance, or character', which itself comes from the past participle of 'habēre', meaning 'to have, hold, or possess'. It entered English through Old French 'habit' in the 13th century, first referring to clothing or outward appearance. By the 14th century, the meaning shifted to describe a person's usual way of behaving — the 'mental clothing' they wore. The clothing sense and the behaviour sense coexisted in English, both still in use today.