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rou·tine | \ rü-ˈtēn 
\
\Definition of routine
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : a regular course of procedure
if resort to legal action becomes a campus routine— J. A. Perkins
b : habitual or mechanical performance of an established procedure
the routine of factory work
2 : a reiterated speech or formula
the old "After you" routine— Ray Russell
3 : a worked-out part (as of an entertainment or sports contest) that may be often repeated
a dance routine especially : a theatrical number
4 : a sequence of computer instructions for performing a particular task
routine
adjectiverou·tine | \ rü-ˈtēn , ˈrü-ˌtēn \
, ˈrü-ˌtēn \Definition of routine (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : of a commonplace or repetitious character : ordinary routine problems
2 : of, relating to, or being in accordance with established procedure
routine business
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Synonyms & Antonyms for routine
Synonyms: Noun
Synonyms: Adjective
- average,
- common,
- commonplace,
- cut-and-dried
- (also cut-and-dry),
- everyday,
- garden-variety,
- normal,
- ordinary,
- prosaic,
- run-of-the-mill,
- standard,
- standard-issue,
- unexceptional,
- unremarkable,
- usual,
- workaday
Antonyms: Adjective
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Examples of routine in a Sentence
Noun
Grandma gets upset if we change her routine.
A brisk walk is part of her morning routine.
The job will be easier once you settle into a routine.
the boring routine of paperwork Adjective
The surgery has become a very routine operation and poses little danger.
He criticized her routine absence from important meetings.
The more you do it, the more routine it becomes.
They hire high-school students for routine work such as filing.
Data entry becomes routine very quickly.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Aside from a regular at-home dental care routine, Dodd also said owners should bring their pet in annually for a dental cleaning and check-up.
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Texas A&m University, Houston Chronicle, "PET TALK: Don’t brush off your cat’s dental health," 15 Feb. 2020 But getting back into a reading routine has done wonders for my life, and my brain.
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Sophia Rosenbaum, USA TODAY, "5 things I learned from binge-reading a 50-book crime series in 5 months," 12 Feb. 2020 But getting back into a reading routine has done wonders for my life, and my brain.
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Washington Post, "5 things I learned from binge-reading a 50-book crime series," 12 Feb. 2020 Breaking with her usual Sunday routine, Queen Elizabeth II did not attend church in Sandringham due to high winds.
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Fox News, "Hurricane-force winds pound UK and Europe, upend travel as Storm Ciara strikes," 9 Feb. 2020 This is the second dance routine Ripa shared in the last week, and her Instagram followers are clamoring for more.
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Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, "Fans Are Floored By Kelly Ripa's New Instagram That Shows Off Her Amazing Abs and Dance Moves," 8 Feb. 2020 At one point in the performance, a dance routine featured dozens of small children, including Lopez's 11-year-old daughter, Emme.
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Dominick Mastrangelo, Washington Examiner, "'Kids in cages': Super Bowl halftime act by Jennifer Lopez viewed as anti-Trump political statement," 3 Feb. 2020 American Contemporary Ballet presents recreations of classic dance routines by the movie legend, set to songs by Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Johnny Mercer.
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Los Angeles Times, "Dance in L.A. this week: Ballet West’s ‘Giselle’ and more," 31 Jan. 2020 Meet FaceGenius, a smart retail platform that uses SkinScanner analyses to create custom routines.
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Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, "FaceGenius Is the New Frontier of Skin-Care Tech Meets E-Commerce," 27 Jan. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Even though some schools send their athletes to on-campus counseling, there is no guarantee the counselors know how to deal with athletes, or even whether the athletes can get an appointment or routine care.
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Jeff Seidel, Freep.com, "Athletes are killing themselves and schools in Michigan fear their players could be next," 16 Feb. 2020 The women walked through their routine rather than going full speed to keep the horses from getting injured.
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Emilie Eaton, ExpressNews.com, "Mexico’s official sport joins the rodeo lineup in San Antonio," 14 Feb. 2020 So the singer also incorporates HIIT and strength intervals into her routine to increase endurance and stamina, according to Kaiser in an interview with PopSugar.
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Molly Longman, refinery29.com, "The Workout Moves Shakira Used To Prep For The Super Bowl," 3 Feb. 2020 However, showing off their routine wasn't the only memorable moment from the Ellen reunion.
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Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Netflix's "Cheer" Cast Reunited for a Performance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"," 24 Jan. 2020 Keeping my routine to fewer than five products is the sweet spot for my reactive, sensitive, acne-prone skin.
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Maya Allen, Marie Claire, "4 Women Share Their Skincare Spreadsheets," 10 Jan. 2020 District officials also made routine visits to find ways to better support the school.
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Olivia Krauth, The Courier-Journal, "Amid rash of recent assaults, Iroquois High School principal will be reassigned, JCPS says," 22 Nov. 2019 For example, group members — many of whom are already on probation for past crimes — could more regularly be brought in for probation violations, or probation officers might make more routine visits to their houses.
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Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, "Ramsey County, St. Paul abandoned grant offer to address violence after mayor raised questions," 4 Nov. 2019 Barr visited with prosecutors in the Manhattan office on Thursday, part of what aides said was a routine check-in visit.
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Eli Stokols, Los Angeles Times, "Two Giuliani associates involved in Ukraine probe arrested on campaign finance charges," 10 Oct. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'routine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for routine
routine
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of routine
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a regular way of doing things in a particular order
: a boring state or situation in which things are always done the same way
: a series of things (such as movements or jokes) that are repeated as part of a performance
routine
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of routine (Entry 2 of 2)
: done very often
: done or happening as a normal part of a job, situation, or process
: easily done according to a set way or method
See the full definition for routine in the English Language Learners Dictionary
routine
nounrou·tine | \ rü-ˈtēn \
\Kids Definition of routine
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a usual order and way of doing something
Taking a shower is part of my morning routine.
2 : a series of things that are repeated as part of a performance
a dance routine
routine
adjectiveKids Definition of routine (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : done very often
routine surgery
2 : done or happening in a standard or usual way
He went to the doctor for a routine checkup.
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Comments on routine
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Time Traveler for routine
The first known use of routine was in 1661
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