force of habit

noun

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

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

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Meanings

nounforce of habit (countable and uncountable, plural forces of habit)

plural forces of habit

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

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

    1 more example

    The Tin Woodman lay down on his bed from force of habit, for he remembered when he was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep, he passed the night moving his joints up and down to make sure they kept in good working order.

    1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC

Translations

Dutch macht der gewoonte
  • macht der gewoonteautomatic act
German Macht der Gewohnheit
  • Macht der Gewohnheitautomatic act
Polish siła przyzwyczajenia
  • siła przyzwyczajeniaautomatic act
Spanish [por la] costumbre, [por] costumbre
  • [por la] costumbreautomatic act
  • [por] costumbreautomatic act
  • [es la / una] costumbreautomatic act
  • [por el] hábitoautomatic act
  • [por] hábitoautomatic act
  • [es el / un] hábitoautomatic act
Cite this entry
APA

force of habit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/force%20of%20habit

MLA

“force of habit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/force%20of%20habit. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “force of habit,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/force%20of%20habit.

Source: force of habit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.