Practice vs. Principle — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 27, 2024
Practice is the act of doing something repeatedly to gain skill, while principle refers to a fundamental truth or proposition serving as the foundation for belief or action.
Difference Between Practice and Principle
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Practice involves the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it. It's about engaging in activities to improve one's skills or to perform a task efficiently. Whereas principle is a fundamental truth that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning. These are abstract concepts that guide actions and judgments.
While practice is rooted in repetition and often involves learning by doing, principle stands as the moral or ethical guidelines one follows. For instance, a person might practice piano daily to master it, adhering to the principle of diligence and hard work.
Practice can vary greatly depending on the individual or the context, reflecting personal or cultural differences in how something is done. On the other hand, principles tend to be more universal, embodying values or norms that transcend specific situations.
Moreover, practices are usually visible, tangible activities that can be observed and measured. Whereas principles are intangible beliefs or ideals that, while they may influence practice, are not directly observable.
Practice often evolves over time as individuals or groups refine their techniques or adapt to new information or technologies. Principles, however, are more enduring, providing a stable foundation upon which practices can be built and modified.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The actual application or use of an idea, method, or belief.
A fundamental truth or proposition serving as the foundation for belief or action.
Nature
Action-oriented, practical.
Conceptual, ethical or moral guidelines.
Visibility
Tangible and observable.
Intangible and abstract.
Variability
Can vary by individual or culture.
More universal and enduring.
Role
Improves skills or efficiency through repetition.
Guides beliefs, actions, and judgments.
Compare with Definitions
Practice
The actual application or use of an idea or method rather than theories about such application or use.
She prefers practice over theory in her teaching methods.
Principle
A rule or belief governing one's behavior.
She operates on the principle that everyone deserves respect.
Practice
The routine performance of activities to improve skill.
Her piano practice is an essential part of her daily routine.
Principle
A fundamental truth or proposition serving as the foundation for belief or action.
One of his guiding principles is honesty.
Practice
The customary, habitual, or expected procedure of something.
The practice of meditation has been beneficial for him.
Principle
A general scientific theorem or law presenting a relationship under specific conditions.
The principle of gravity explains why objects fall towards the earth.
Practice
The continuous exercise of a profession.
He has set up his medical practice in his hometown.
Principle
A moral rule or standard of good behavior.
Living by the principle of kindness can lead to a fulfilling life.
Practice
A repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
Practice makes perfect.
Principle
The source or origin of something.
The principle of the matter lies in transparency and integrity.
Practice
The actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it
The principles and practice of teaching
The recommendations proved too expensive to put into practice
Principle
A principle is a proposition or value that is a guide for behavior or evaluation. In law, it is a rule that has to be or usually is to be followed.
Practice
The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing of something
Modern child-rearing practices
Product placement is common practice in American movies
Principle
A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning
The basic principles of justice
Practice
Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it
It must have taken a lot of practice to become so fluent
Principle
A general scientific theorem or law that has numerous special applications across a wide field.
Practice
US spelling of practise
Principle
A fundamental source or basis of something
The first principle of all things was water
Practice
To do or perform habitually or customarily; make a habit of
Practices courtesy in social situations.
Principle
A basic truth, law, or assumption
The principles of democracy.
Practice
To do or perform (something) repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill
Practice a dance step.
Principle
A rule or standard, especially of good behavior
A man of principle.
Practice
To give lessons or repeated instructions to; drill
Practiced the students in handwriting.
Principle
The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments
A decision based on principle rather than expediency.
Practice
To work at, especially as a profession
Practice law.
Principle
A fixed or predetermined policy or mode of action.
Practice
To carry out in action; observe
Practices a religion piously.
Principle
A basic or essential quality or element determining intrinsic nature or characteristic behavior
The principle of self-preservation.
Practice
(Obsolete) To plot (something evil).
Principle
A rule or law concerning the functioning of natural phenomena or mechanical processes
The principle of jet propulsion.
Practice
To do something repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill
With any musical instrument, you need to practice to get better.
Principle
(Chemistry) One of the elements that compose a substance, especially one that gives some special quality or effect.
Practice
To work at a profession
How long has that lawyer been practicing?.
Principle
A basic source. See Usage Note at principal.
Practice
To do or perform something habitually or repeatedly
Why not practice in the same manner that you preach?.
Principle
A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
We need some sort of principles to reason from.
Practice
(Archaic) To intrigue or plot.
Principle
A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.
Practice
A habitual or customary action or way of doing something
Makes a practice of being punctual.
Principle
Moral rule or aspect.
I don't doubt your principles.
You are clearly a person of principle.
It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.
Practice
Repeated performance of an activity in order to learn or perfect a skill
Practice will make you a good musician.
Principle
(physics) A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
Bernoulli's Principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.
The principle of the internal combustion engine
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.
Principle
A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.
Practice
(Archaic) The skill so learned or perfected.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
Practice
The condition of being skilled through repeated exercise
Out of practice.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Practice
The act or process of doing something; performance or action
A theory that is difficult to put into practice.
Principle
Misspelling of principal
Practice
Exercise of an occupation or profession
The practice of law.
Principle
(obsolete) A beginning.
Practice
The business of a professional person
An obstetrician with her own practice.
Principle
(transitive) To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
Practice
A habitual or customary action or act
That company engages in questionable business practices. Facial tattooing is a standard practice among certain peoples.
Principle
Beginning; commencement.
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
Practice
(Law) The procedure for trial of cases in a court of law, usually specified by rules.
Principle
A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
The soul of man is an active principle.
Practice
The act of tricking or scheming, especially with malicious intent.
Principle
An original faculty or endowment.
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.
Practice
A trick, scheme, or intrigue.
Principle
A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad.
Practice
Repetition of an activity to improve a skill.
He will need lots of practice with the lines before he performs them.
Principle
A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle.
All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.
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.
Principle
Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; - applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.
Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.
Practice
The ongoing pursuit of a craft or profession, particularly in medicine or the fine arts.
Principle
To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or ill.
Governors should be well principled.
Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.
Practice
(countable) A place where a professional service is provided, such as a general practice.
She ran a thriving medical practice.
Principle
A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct;
Their principles of composition characterized all their works
Practice
The observance of religious duties that a church requires of its members.
Principle
A rule or standard especially of good behavior;
A man of principle
He will not violate his principles
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.
Principle
A basic truth or law or assumption;
The principles of democracy
Practice
Actual operation or experiment, in contrast to theory.
That may work in theory, but will it work in practice?
Principle
A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system;
The principle of the conservation of mass
The principle of jet propulsion
The right-hand rule for inductive fields
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.
Principle
Rule of personal conduct
Practice
Skilful or artful management; dexterity in contrivance or the use of means; stratagem; artifice.
Principle
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature);
The rationale for capital punishment
The principles of internal-combustion engines
Practice
(math) A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.
Practice
(US) practise
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.
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.
Practice
Skill or dexterity acquired by use; expertness.
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.
Practice
Systematic exercise for instruction or discipline; as, the troops are called out for practice; she neglected practice in music.
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.
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.
Practice
A easy and concise method of applying the rules of arithmetic to questions which occur in trade and business.
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.
Practice
To do or perform frequently, customarily, or habitually; to make a practice of; as, to practice gaming.
Practice
To exercise, or follow, as a profession, trade, art, etc., as, to practice law or medicine.
Practice
To exercise one's self in, for instruction or improvement, or to acquire discipline or dexterity; as, to practice gunnery; to practice music.
Practice
To put into practice; to carry out; to act upon; to commit; to execute; to do.
As this advice ye practice or neglect.
Practice
To make use of; to employ.
In malice to this good knight's wife, I practiced Ubaldo and Ricardo to corrupt her.
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.
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.
Practice
To learn by practice; to form a habit.
They shall practice how to live secure.
Practice first over yourself to reign.
Practice
To try artifices or stratagems.
He will practice against thee by poison.
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.
Practice
A customary way of operation or behavior;
It is their practice to give annual raises
They changed their dietary pattern
Practice
Systematic training by multiple repetitions;
Practice makes perfect
Practice
Translating an idea into action;
A hard theory to put into practice
Differences between theory and praxis of communism
Practice
The exercise of a profession;
The practice of the law
I took over his practice when he retired
Practice
Knowledge of how something is usually done;
It is not the local practice to wear shorts to dinner
Practice
Learn by repetition;
We drilled French verbs every day
Pianists practice scales
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
Practice
Carry out or practice; as of jobs and professions;
Practice law
Practice
Engage in a rehearsal (of)
Common Curiosities
What is a principle?
A principle is a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief, action, or reasoning.
Can principles change over time?
While principles are more enduring than practices, they can evolve as societal values and knowledge change.
How do practice and principle differ in application?
Practice refers to the actual doing or application of something, while principle refers to the foundational beliefs or truths that guide those actions.
How do practices develop?
Practices develop through repetition, experimentation, and adaptation to new information or technologies.
Are principles always moral or ethical?
While many principles are moral or ethical, they can also be fundamental truths or propositions in scientific, philosophical, or other conceptual frameworks.
How do practices and principles interact?
Practices are often guided by principles, with principles serving as the foundation for the development and refinement of practices.
Is it possible for a practice to contradict a principle?
Yes, practices can sometimes contradict principles, leading to ethical dilemmas or the need to reevaluate either the practice or the underlying principles.
How does one choose their principles?
Principles are often chosen based on personal beliefs, cultural values, and ethical considerations.
What is practice?
Practice is the repeated performance of activities to improve skills or the customary way of doing something.
Can one have principles without practice?
It's possible to hold principles without actively practicing them, but this may lead to questions of integrity or consistency.
Why are both practice and principle important?
Both are essential for guiding actions and ensuring that those actions are rooted in considered beliefs and values.
Do practices vary more than principles?
Yes, practices tend to vary more due to cultural, individual, and situational differences, while principles are more universal.
Can a principle be proven wrong?
In scientific and philosophical contexts, principles can be challenged and revised based on new evidence or reasoning.
Are there practices without underlying principles?
Most practices have underlying principles, though the principles may not always be explicitly recognized or stated.
Can practices influence principles?
Yes, the outcomes and experiences of practices can lead to a reevaluation or refinement of underlying principles.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
