Practice vs. Practise: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Practice (noun) refers to the act of doing something regularly, while Practise (verb) is the British spelling of the action of doing or training in something.
Key Differences
Practice is primarily used as a noun in both American and British English, meaning the repeated exercise of an activity or skill to acquire or maintain proficiency in it. Practise, in contrast, is the British English spelling of the verb form, meaning to perform activities or exercises to acquire or improve a skill.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
In American English, Practice is used for both noun and verb forms, such as in "law practice" and "to practice law". In British English, Practise as a verb distinguishes from the noun, as in "I practise law" versus "I have a law practice".
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
When referring to the customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing of something, Practice is used in both American and British English, like in "standard practice". Practise in British English would refer to the action of doing something according to these customs or habits.
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Nov 18, 2023
Practice can also denote the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it. Meanwhile, Practise (UK) is about the implementation or application of these actions, focusing on the act of executing or performing them.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
In terms of usage in different fields, Practice may refer to a business or office, especially in professions like medicine or law, while Practise is about the act of carrying out or performing the professional skills associated with these professions.
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Nov 18, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Usage Example
"His practice in medicine is renowned."
"He needs to practise his piano skills."
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Nov 18, 2023
Application
Refers to habitual actions, methods, or offices
Refers to the action of doing or training
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Nov 18, 2023
Professional Context
Used for businesses or offices
Used for performing professional skills
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Nov 18, 2023
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Practice and Practise Definitions
Practice
Repeated exercise of an activity or skill.
Regular practice is essential for mastering a language.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practise
To carry out or perform a particular activity or method.
Doctors practise medicine with great care.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practice
Customary, habitual procedure or way of doing something.
It's common practice to shake hands at meetings.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practise
To engage in a particular profession.
After graduation, he will practise as a lawyer.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practice
Verb form in American English for performing activities.
You need to practice your speech more.
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Nov 15, 2023
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Practise
To work repeatedly on an exercise.
To improve, you must practise writing essays.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practice
To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of
Practices courtesy in social situations.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
To perform activities to improve a skill (BE).
She needs to practise her violin more often.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practice
To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill
Practice a dance step.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To give lessons or repeated instructions to; drill
Practiced the students in handwriting.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
(transitive) To repeat (an activity) as a way of improving one's skill in that activity.
You should practise playing piano every day.
Shumaila Saeed
Oct 19, 2023
Practise
(intransitive) To repeat an activity in this way.
If you want to speak French well, you need to practise.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
(transitive) To perform or observe in a habitual fashion.
They gather to practise religion every Saturday.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
(transitive) To pursue (a career, especially law, fine art or medicine).
She practised law for forty years before retiring.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To do something repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill
With any musical instrument, you need to practice to get better.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
To put into practice; to carry out; to act upon; to commit; to execute; to do.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To do or perform something habitually or repeatedly
Why not practice in the same manner that you preach?.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
A habitual or customary action or way of doing something
Makes a practice of being punctual.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Repeated performance of an activity in order to learn or perfect a skill
Practice will make you a good musician.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
A session of preparation or performance undertaken to acquire or polish a skill
Goes to piano practice weekly.
Scheduled a soccer practice for Saturday.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The condition of being skilled through repeated exercise
Out of practice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
Learn by repetition;
We drilled French verbs every day
Pianists practice scales
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The act or process of doing something; performance or action
A theory that is difficult to put into practice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practise
To train or drill in a particular skill or sport.
He practises football every evening.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practice
The business of a professional person
An obstetrician with her own practice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
A habitual or customary action or act
That company engages in questionable business practices. Facial tattooing is a standard practice among certain peoples.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
(Law) The procedure for trial of cases in a court of law, usually specified by rules.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The act of tricking or scheming, especially with malicious intent.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Repetition of an activity to improve a skill.
He will need lots of practice with the lines before he performs them.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
An organized event for the purpose of performing such repetition.
Being on a team is hard: you're always having to go to practice while everyone else is taking it easy.
I have choir practice every Sunday after church.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The ongoing pursuit of a craft or profession, particularly in medicine or the fine arts.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
(countable) A place where a professional service is provided, such as a general practice.
She ran a thriving medical practice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The observance of religious duties that a church requires of its members.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
A customary action, habit, or behaviour; a manner or routine.
It is the usual practice of employees there to wear neckties only when meeting with customers.
It is good practice to check each door and window before leaving.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Actual operation or experiment, in contrast to theory.
That may work in theory, but will it work in practice?
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
(legal) The form, manner, and order of conducting and carrying on suits and prosecutions through their various stages, according to the principles of law and the rules laid down by the courts.
This firm of solicitors is involved in family law practice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Skilful or artful management; dexterity in contrivance or the use of means; stratagem; artifice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
(math) A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Frequently repeated or customary action; habitual performance; a succession of acts of a similar kind; usage; habit; custom; as, the practice of rising early; the practice of making regular entries of accounts; the practice of daily exercise.
A heart . . . exercised with covetous practices.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Customary or constant use; state of being used.
Obsolete words may be revived when they are more sounding or more significant than those in practice.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Actual performance; application of knowledge; - opposed to theory.
There are two functions of the soul, - contemplation and practice.
There is a distinction, but no opposition, between theory and practice; each, to a certain extent, supposes the other; theory is dependent on practice; practice must have preceded theory.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Systematic exercise for instruction or discipline; as, the troops are called out for practice; she neglected practice in music.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Application of science to the wants of men; the exercise of any profession; professional business; as, the practice of medicine or law; a large or lucrative practice.
Practice is exercise of an art, or the application of a science in life, which application is itself an art.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Skillful or artful management; dexterity in contrivance or the use of means; art; stratagem; artifice; plot; - usually in a bad sense.
He sought to have that by practice which he could not by prayer.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The form, manner, and order of conducting and carrying on suits and prosecutions through their various stages, according to the principles of law and the rules laid down by the courts.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To do or perform frequently, customarily, or habitually; to make a practice of; as, to practice gaming.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To exercise, or follow, as a profession, trade, art, etc., as, to practice law or medicine.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To exercise one's self in, for instruction or improvement, or to acquire discipline or dexterity; as, to practice gunnery; to practice music.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To put into practice; to carry out; to act upon; to commit; to execute; to do.
As this advice ye practice or neglect.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To make use of; to employ.
In malice to this good knight's wife, I practiced Ubaldo and Ricardo to corrupt her.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To teach or accustom by practice; to train.
In church they are taught to love God; after church they are practiced to love their neighbor.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To perform certain acts frequently or customarily, either for instruction, profit, or amusement; as, to practice with the broadsword or with the rifle; to practice on the piano.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To learn by practice; to form a habit.
They shall practice how to live secure.
Practice first over yourself to reign.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To try artifices or stratagems.
He will practice against thee by poison.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
To apply theoretical science or knowledge, esp. by way of experiment; to exercise or pursue an employment or profession, esp. that of medicine or of law.
[I am] little inclined to practice on others, and as little that others should practice on me.
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
A customary way of operation or behavior;
It is their practice to give annual raises
They changed their dietary pattern
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Systematic training by multiple repetitions;
Practice makes perfect
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Translating an idea into action;
A hard theory to put into practice
Differences between theory and praxis of communism
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The exercise of a profession;
The practice of the law
I took over his practice when he retired
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Knowledge of how something is usually done;
It is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Learn by repetition;
We drilled French verbs every day
Pianists practice scales
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
Avail oneself to;
Apply a principle
Practice a religion
Use care when going down the stairs
Use your common sense
Practice non-violent resistance
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Oct 19, 2023
Practice
The actual application of an idea, belief, or method.
The theory is good, but it's different in practice.
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Nov 15, 2023
Practice
Business or office of a professional.
She opened her own dental practice last year.
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Nov 15, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can "practice" mean a habitual action?
Yes, in both American and British English.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practise" correct in American English?
No, American English uses "practice" for both noun and verb.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Does "practise" imply improvement in skill?
Yes, it involves activities aimed at improving a skill.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Does "practice" include the application of ideas?
Yes, it refers to the actual use of ideas or methods.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practise" used in educational settings?
Yes, particularly for training or learning activities.
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Nov 18, 2023
Can "practice" be both regular and occasional?
Yes, it can refer to any habitual or customary action.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Does "practice" apply to legal professionals?
Yes, in terms of their business or method of working.
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Nov 18, 2023
Is "practice" a noun in American English?
Yes, and also a verb in American English.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Does "practise" relate to sports training?
Yes, it's often used for sports and exercise routines.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practice" used as a verb in British English?
No, "practise" is the verb form in British English.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Can "practice" refer to a business in British English?
Yes, "practice" as a noun can refer to a business.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Can "practise" be used for professional activities?
Yes, it's used for performing professional skills.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practise" appropriate for musical training?
Yes, it's commonly used for music practice.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Can "practice" be used for theoretical application?
Yes, as in applying theory in real scenarios.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practice" used in medical contexts?
Yes, for referring to the business or office of a doctor.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Can "practise" mean to rehearse?
Yes, it can mean rehearsing a skill or activity.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practice" the same as "training"?
It can be similar, but practice often implies habitual action.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
Is "practice" used for team routines?
Yes, it can refer to team drills or exercises.
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Nov 18, 2023
Does "practise" involve repetition?
Yes, it often involves repeated exercises.
Shumaila Saeed
Nov 18, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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