practise
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
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to do or cause to do repeatedly in order to gain skill
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(tr) to do (something) habitually or frequently
they practise ritual murder
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to observe or pursue (something, such as a religion)
to practise Christianity
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to work at (a profession, job, etc)
he practises medicine
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to take advantage of (someone, someone's credulity, etc)
Usage
What’s the difference between practise and practice? In British English (and many other international varieties of English), the spelling practise is used when the word is a verb, while the spelling practice is used when it’s a noun. In American English, the spelling practice is always used, regardless of whether the word is used as a verb or a noun. This is somewhat similar to the difference in spelling between advice (noun) and advise (verb)—a distinction that’s used in both British and American English. However, unlike advice and advise, practise and practice are always pronounced the same. Here is an example of how practise and practice would be used in the same sentence in British English. Example: Remember, practice makes perfect—the more you practise, the better you will get. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between practise and practice.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of practise
C15: see practice
Explanation
The word practise is a variant spelling for the verb practice. American English spells both the noun and verb forms practice. For the Brits, the noun form is still spelled practice, but the verb is practise. To practise is to do something repeatedly or habitually. If you've always practised good spending habits, you are probably in good shape financially even though the economy is bad. To practise also means to learn something or become proficient at it by rehearsing or performing regularly. If you ask a Brit how to get to Carnegie Hall, he might respond, "Practise, practise, practise."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But he has been released after his case was dismissed, and, to Tergenbayeva's horror, continues to practise.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Williams was due to practise at the All England Club at 16:00 but announced her decision to pull out about 15 minutes before.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Some of the faces that practise alongside her have changed.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
The NMC said it was looking at 96 "fitness to practise" cases relating to maternity care at NUH.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
At the end of the eighth week Keith took me aside following practise and gave me an evaluation of my game.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Nearby, employees of the Union shopping mall practised using fire extinguishers to put out flames within a controlled pit, under the guidance of firefighters.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
The sound of pliers clicking filled a workshop in eastern China's Hangzhou as a group of women practised stripping wires, their female instructor moving around the classroom to offer advice.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
The team practised penalties regularly and sought to replicate, as far as possible, the actual experience in training to help the process become more driven by muscle memory.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
"I was a little nervous. I've never hit a ball with her, never practised, never played a match, so I didn't know what to expect," the 12th seed said.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Newton practised alchemy as well as publishing on physics and optics.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
The room, which doubles as a kitchen and bedroom, was decorated with flowers drawn by Habiba's 11-year-old daughter, Nahida, who was practising English that she had learnt at the village school.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Bobbing around the shore in goggles and a wetsuit, an energetic Wu shares from her decades of experience practising the tradition she had learned from her father as a teenager.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Afterwards, Williams remained coy when asked about the prospect of playing singles at Wimbledon, but returned to London the following day and started practising at SW19 on Thursday.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
The day after lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires, he was already practising on the grass.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
He was practising strokes, looking very fragile under the light that came down above the billiard table.
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
