What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
habituation
Example
The loud noise from the construction site no longer bothers me due to habituation. [habituation: noun]
Example
After a few days of living in the city, I became habituated to the sounds of traffic. [habituated: past participle]
acclimation
Example
It takes time for the body to acclimate to high altitudes. [acclimate: verb]
Example
The new employee needed some time to acclimate to the fast-paced work environment. [acclimation: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Habituation is more commonly used than acclimation in everyday language, especially in psychology and behavioral sciences. Acclimation is more specialized and is primarily used in scientific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between habituation and acclimation?
Both habituation and acclimation are formal words and are not commonly used in casual conversation. However, habituation may be more familiar to ESL learners due to its use in psychology and behavioral sciences.
