Phrase guide

force of habit

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An act that has been repeated to the point where the performance of the act becomes automatic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, idiomatic, uncountable

Examples

  • "Only force of habit will explain why people today do honor to Christopher Columbus." - New York Times, 1937

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: macht der gewoonte — automatic act
  • German: Macht der Gewohnheit — automatic act
  • Polish: siła przyzwyczajenia — automatic act
  • Spanish: [por la] costumbre — automatic act
  • Spanish: [por] costumbre — automatic act
  • Spanish: [es la / una] costumbre — automatic act
  • Spanish: [por el] hábito — automatic act
  • Spanish: [por] hábito — automatic act
  • Spanish: [es el / un] hábito — automatic act