# practice

/ˈpɹæktəs/ (US) · /pɹˈæktɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/practice
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. improving a skill

noun · CEFR A1

doing an activity many times so that you become better at it.

For teachers: the repetitive performance of an activity or exercise for the purpose of acquiring or perfecting a skill.

- If you want to play the piano well, you need a lot of practice.
- The athlete attributed her record-breaking performance to years of rigorous daily practice and mental conditioning.

### 2. a regular habit or custom

noun · CEFR B1

something that people usually do in a particular society or situation.

For teachers: a customary action, habit, or way of doing something; a conventional procedure within a group.

- It is a common practice to shake hands when you meet someone new.
- The company's hiring practices have come under scrutiny for failing to promote diversity within the senior management team.

### 3. professional business

noun · CEFR B2

the work or the office of a professional person, like a doctor or a lawyer.

For teachers: the exercise of a profession, or the place where such a professional service is conducted.

- After finishing medical school, she joined a small dental practice in the city.
- The legal practice specialised in intellectual property rights, representing several high-profile tech firms in the region.

### 4. action vs theory

noun · CEFR B2

the actual doing of something rather than just the ideas about it.

For teachers: the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories about it.

- The idea sounds good, but it might be difficult to put into practice.
- While the economic model was elegant in theory, it proved entirely unworkable when put into practice during the fiscal crisis.

### 5. to do repeatedly

verb · CEFR A1 · American English

to do something regularly to improve your skill.

For teachers: to perform an activity or exercise regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.

- You should practice your guitar for at least thirty minutes every day.
- The choir spent the entire afternoon practicing the difficult harmonies for the upcoming winter concert.

Usage: In American English, 'practice' is used for both the noun and the verb; in British English, the verb is spelled 'practise'.

Teaching tip: Advise students that while the US spelling uses 'c' for both, British English follows the 'advice/advise' pattern where the noun has a 'c' and the verb has an 's'.

## Examples

- I need more practice before the piano concert.
- The young lawyer joined a private practice to gain experience in family law and litigation.
- While the theory of the new management style sounds promising, putting it into practice across a global corporation requires significant cultural adjustments and staff training.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.