force of habit

noun phrase

: behavior made involuntary or automatic by repeated practice

Examples of force of habit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Different levels of mental and muscular activity during sleep and waking — though the temperature curve may persist through force of habit even when sleeping patterns change. Discover Magazine, 14 June 2024 Or is the American tendency to refrigerate eggs just a force of habit? Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2023 However, this rotation of sweet or salty snacks winding their way through the office may not merely be a force of habit. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Well, 26 Oct. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of force of habit was in 1796

Dictionary Entries Near force of habit

Cite this Entry

“Force of habit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/force%20of%20habit. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!