routine 1 of 2

noun

rü-ˈtēn How to pronounce routine (audio)
Definition of routinenext
1
as in grind
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity part of my morning routine is drinking a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in exercise
something done over and over in order to develop skill a weapons training routine

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3
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group did a tired routine that's been around since the days of vaudeville

Synonyms & Similar Words

routine

2 of 2

adjective

rü-ˈtēn How to pronounce routine (audio)
1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events this is just a routine inspection

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in formal
following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules the routine procedure for filing a complaint with the board

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in usual
often observed or encountered the movie is a routine thriller that has little to recommend it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of routine
Noun
Convenience helped define the American coffee routine, from instant coffee to the automatic drip machines that became fixtures in American kitchens. — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Instead, their capacity, unrestrained due to advantages of technology, often gets under additional routines that land on the same psychological ground, already marked by low interest, meaning and involvement. — Naira Velumyan, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Accounting software can automate payroll and other routine tasks, giving you more time to focus on running your business. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 Retreats offer a structured environment to temporarily change diet and routine, and the microbiome can respond to those changes. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for routine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routine
  1. grind
  2. exercise
  3. act
  4. normal
  5. formal
  6. usual
  7. rut
  8. practice
Noun
  • In my eyes, Las Vegas looks like a postseason team, which means this tough, grind-it-out win could be something the Chiefs have to deal with not only two more times this season but for the foreseeable future.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
  • During the long grind of an 82-game NBA regular season, the Heat’s hope is this players-only getaway marks the start of a successful year after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2019.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of grind
Noun
  • China has deployed troops alongside Russian forces for a large multinational military exercise that Moscow says incorporates lessons from the war in Ukraine, including the growing role of drones, electronic warfare and unmanned ground systems.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
  • To hold adults forever responsible for their words — not actions — as teenagers is an exercise in cruelty.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • Joshua Kerry, 28, was charged with preparation of acts of terrorism between May 2024 and July 2026, including against Nigel Farage, the leader of the populist Reform UK party, according to British police and prosecutors.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Clark supporters argued one game was insufficient for an ejectable non-basketball act.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of act
Adjective
  • After The Dick Van Dyke Show wrapped, Matthews returned to a normal childhood life and attended UCLA.
    — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Vertical speeds during normal operations rarely exceed plus or minus 4,000 feet per minute, FlightRadar24 said.
    — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • The president may reveal Clayton's appointment as soon as Friday, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity before a formal announcement.
    — Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The very fact that this has now been given a formal college inside the PLA’s Army Engineering University is telling, however.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • The products were Park Hyatt’s usual—delicious-smelling La Labo toiletries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • There’s deals on makeup, too, like the Ilia Limitless Mascara at 20% off for just $23 compared to its usual $30.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of usual
Noun
  • But in sending off applications en masse—fine-tuning their resumes and tailoring their cover letters with the help of AI—job-seekers may be causing a talent rut.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
  • With the rut approaching, these bucks are using his yard to do some sparring.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of rut
Noun
  • The measure would end the twice-yearly practice of changing clocks observed across most of the nation since the 1960s.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Their bye week consisted of wild-card watch parties, batting practice, live pitching — from a long list of arms on Wednesday, especially — and an open workout Thursday that culminated in a scrimmage.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of practice

Browse Nearby Words

routeways
routine
routinely
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Cite this Entry

“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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