Practice means doing something repeatedly to get better at it. When you practice piano scales, shoot basketball free throws over and over, or work through math problems each night, you're training your mind and body to improve. The more you practice, the more natural and skilled those actions become.

Practice transforms difficult tasks into easier ones. A beginning violinist might screech through a simple song, but after weeks of practice, those same notes flow smoothly. Practice builds what we call muscle memory: your fingers learn where to go on the instrument without you having to think about every movement.

The word can also mean the actual doing of something, especially professionally. A doctor has a medical practice where they see patients. A lawyer might practice law in a particular city. When you put something into practice, you're actually doing it rather than just thinking or talking about it.

There's an old saying: “Practice makes perfect.” While nothing truly becomes perfect, practice certainly makes things better. The catch is that practice works best when you're paying attention and trying to improve, not just mindlessly repeating the same mistakes. That's why coaches and teachers don't just tell you to practice. They help you practice well.