“Practice Makes Perfect” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on May 30, 2025 by Liam Daniel

The phrase “practice makes perfect” is a common idiom that, despite its age, is still used frequently as a part of everyday conversation. Here you will find the meaning of this phrase and the story behind its origin. You will also find some examples of sentences and conversations using this phrase correctly to help you better understand and learn the meaning of this phrase. Finally, you will find some synonymous phrases that you can use in place of this phrase to convey the same meaning during a conversation.

“Practice Makes Perfect” Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • The phrase “practice makes perfect” means that the more you practice a skill or activity, the better you will become at it. It emphasizes the importance of repetition and dedication in achieving proficiency or mastery in a particular area.
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“Practice Makes Perfect” Meaning

The phrase “practice makes perfect” means that consistent and repeated practice of a skill or activity leads to improvement and mastery over time. It emphasizes the idea that proficiency is achieved through dedicated effort and repetition.

Examples:

  • “Don’t be discouraged by your mistakes; remember, practice makes perfect
  • “Don’t worry if you don’t get it right the first time. Remember, practice makes perfect!”

Origin of This Idiomatic Phrase

This idiom can be traced back to a proverb that was written in the 1550s or 1560s. The original phrasing of this proverb was “use makes perfect.” This phrase was derived from the older Latin phrase “Uses promptos facit.” It appears that the first time it was recorded in English was in the diary of John Quincy Adams in 1761.

Usage of “Practice Makes Perfect”

  • In a conversation about learning:

“I struggled with the piano at first, but I keep reminding myself that practice makes perfect.”

  • Talking to someone about improving a skill:

“You’ll get the hang of it soon; just keep practicing. After all, practice makes perfect!”

  • During a discussion about sports:

“The coach always tells us that practice makes perfect, which is why we have training sessions every day.”

  • In a motivational context:

“Even if you fail a few times, don’t be discouraged. Remember, practice makes perfect!”

Related Terms to “Practice Makes Perfect”

  • Repetition is the mother of learning – emphasizing that repeated practice is essential for mastery.
  • Consistency is key – highlighting the importance of regular practice to achieve success.
  • Skill comes with experience – suggesting that expertise develops through hands-on practice over time.
  • Hard work pays off – indicating that dedication and effort lead to positive results.
  • Perfect practice makes perfect – emphasizing that practicing correctly is crucial for improvement.
  • Trial and error – the process of experimenting to learn and improve through mistakes.
  • Get in the groove – to become proficient through regular practice and familiarity.
  • Learning curve – the time it takes to acquire a new skill or knowledge through practice.
  • Keep at it – encouraging perseverance in practice to achieve improvement.
  • Drill and practice – a method of repeated exercises to enhance skills or knowledge.

“Practice Makes Perfect” Synonyms

There are several synonymous phrases that you could use in place of this phrase to convey the same meaning. Some of the alternative phrases you could use include:

  • Practice makes a man perfect
  • Repeatedly doing something will make you an expert
  • Repetition builds perfection

“Practice Makes Perfect” Examples

Sentence Examples

  • They say practice makes perfect, but I studied art for many years and still am not good at it.
  • If practice makes perfect, then you should consider me an expert in the art of procrastination.
  • We learned by actual experience that practice makes perfect.
  • We can never learn English well but practice makes perfect.
  • Don’t worry about your oral English. Practice makes perfect.
  • Practice makes perfect. It is true in anything.
  • Practice speaking English whenever you have time. Practice makes perfect, you know.
  • Whatever caulk you use, remember that practice makes perfect.

Conversation Examples

A conversation between mother and daughter.

  • Mother: How are the violin lessons coming along?
  • Daughter: Not very well. I am trying though.
  • Mother: Well, just keep going and learning all you can. Don’t give up. Practice makes perfect and learning a new instrument takes time.

A conversation between two co-workers.

  • Co-worker 1: I feel like I have performed this task thousands of times.
  • Co-worker 2: Practice makes perfect so if you have done it that many times, then you should be an expert at it by now.
  • Co-worker 1: I can get it done more quickly than I could before.
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