habitual

habitual Definition

ha·bitu·al (hə bic̸h′o̵̅o̅ əl)

adjective

formed or acquired by continual use; done by habit or fixed as a habit; customary
being or doing a certain thing by habit; steady; inveterate a habitual smoker
much seen, done, or used; usual; frequent

Etymology: ML habitualis, of habit or dress: see habit

habitual Related Forms

ha·bit′u·ally adverb ha·bit′u·al·ness noun

habitual Synonyms

modif.

Of the nature of a habit
ingrained, confirmed, frequent, periodic, continual, routine, mechanical, automatic, perfunctory, seasoned, iterated, permanent, perpetual, on-going, consuetudinary, consuetudinal, fixed, rooted, inveterate, systematic, recurrent, periodical, methodical, repeated, iterative, reiterative, disciplined, practiced, accustomed, established, set, repetitious, cyclic, reiterated, settled, trite, stereotyped, formal, addicted, acting by force of habit, being such by habit, in a groove, in a rut; see also chronic, constant 1, regular 3.
Antonyms different*, exceptional, departing.
Usual
customary, accustomed, normal; see common 1, conventional 1. See syn. study at usual.

habitual Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

so: Of course, self-protecting humor risks becoming so habitual that when we really do want to be taken seriously, nobody notices!
not: I think those who are not habitual users of PCs might get rather exasperated with it.
often: They are often habitual readers and they typically select professions on the basis of how much potential for growth they offer.
then: A progressive fibrosis of the quadriceps muscle occurs which eventually produces recurrent, then habitual and finally chronic patello-femoral dislocation.

Modifies a noun

drunkard: The Clerk: He charges you with being an habitual drunkard.
residence: The Decision Maker must consider the question of habitual residence in the normal way.
liar: Macy Gray is great because she's mad and a habitual liar, so she's always superb value.
drunkenness: Furthermore, this body had " demanded divorce on easier terms, even such as an allegation of habitual drunkenness " .
abode: State, he shall be deemed to be a resident of the Contracting State in which he has an habitual abode.
smoker: His double tours seem as easy for him as flicking the ash from cigarettes for some habitual smokers.

Used with adjective complement

become: We choose what will become habitual by decisions we make in our minds.
make: That unnoticed stream of perception was an everyday made habitual, in a time that flows without interruption.

habitual Quotes

For that which has become habitual, becomes as it were natural.

—Aristotle

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