routine

play

noun rou·tine \ rü-ˈtēn \

Definition of routine

1 a :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

See routine defined for English-language learners

See routine defined for kids

Examples of routine in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of routine from the Web

That routine held after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday.

— david tweed, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Needs a New China Approach, Ex-North Korea Negotiators Say," 30 Aug. 2017
As a farewell, Martin and Lewis performed one last show together at the Copacabana in New York City, 10 years to the date after their first routine.

— maria carter, Country Living, "Inside the 20-Year Feud of Legendary Comedy Duo Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin," 22 Aug. 2017
The preseason routine that Alabama follows has worked well in recent years.

— michael casagrande, AL.com, "How Nick Saban will decide when to start Florida State prep," 20 Aug. 2017
On the floor of the Honda Center, the USA Gymnastics championships are imbued with a sense of normalcy and routine.

— Washington Post, "Golden glow gone amid scandal, USA Gymnastics faces change," 17 Aug. 2017
The firemen asked Milewicz to accompany them on ride-alongs, which soon became a weekly routine.

— matt ormseth, courant.com, "Firefighter From Poland Overcame Many Obstacles To Serve," 10 Aug. 2017
His stand-up routines are helping him to redefine his perspective and shape two new solo projects.

— lisa deaderick, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Top weekend events: Marlon Wayans, Supergirl Surf Pro, Matchbox Twenty and Counting Crows," 28 July 2017
At its most basic level, that could mean following a checklist to avoid skipping key steps in important routines.

— dina fine maron, Scientific American, "Sophisticated Digital Aids Could Help Determine What Ails You," 24 July 2017
As for makeup and other beauty treatments: There is no reason to deviate from your regular routine.

— charlotte cowles, The Cut, "How to Survive Wedding Season When You’re Broke," 20 July 2017

These 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.

Origin and Etymology of routine

French, from Middle French, from route traveled way

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1661

See Words from the same year

routine Synonyms

Synonyms

drill, grind, groove, lockstep, pattern, rote, rut, treadmill

Related Words

daily dozen, regimen; housekeeping; custom, fashion, habit, practice (also practise), trick, wont; approach, manner, method, procedure, strategy, style, tack, technique, way; design, plan, program, scheme; convention, policy, tradition

Other Dance Terms

attitude, honor, saltatory, sashay, taw

routine

play

adjective rou·tine \ rü-ˈtēn , ˈrü-ˌ \

Definition of routine

1 :of a commonplace or repetitious character :ordinary

routine problems

2 :of, relating to, or being in accordance with established procedure

routine business

—

routinely

adverb

See routine defined for English-language learners

Examples of routine in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of routine from the Web

Exactly one year ago, Teddy Bridgewater dropped back to pass during a routine drill and tumbled to the ground with a devastating injury to his left knee .

— dave campbell, The Seattle Times, "A year later, Vikings’ Bridgewater still working way back," 30 Aug. 2017
Lots of wealthy people—celebrities, socialites, Silicon Valley ballers—get routine touch-ups, but politicians in Washington, D.C. have particular needs.

— kaitlin menza, Town & Country, "Is Trump the Driving Force Behind D.C.'s Plastic Surgery Boom?," 23 Aug. 2017
My beauty routine feels truncated, almost anticlimactic.

— kathleen hou, The Cut, "This $185 Natural Face Oil Became a Cult Beauty Favorite," 21 Aug. 2017
An Ohio police officer is on administrative leave after a video of the officer assaulting a Black motorist during a routine traffic stop was posted on Facebook.

— veronica hilbring, Essence.com, "Video Shows White Cop Beating Black Motorist During Routine Traffic Stop," 16 Aug. 2017
Now that Crestview has cloned more than two dozen Cuarteteras, such feats are starting to become routine.

— adam popescu, Bloomberg.com, "Horse Clones Start Heading to the Races," 7 Aug. 2017
And over the past six years, the students’ answers had become routine: Freedom.

— emily richmond, The Atlantic, "The 'Trump Effect' on Canada's Classrooms," 7 Aug. 2017
Governor Chris Christie, who had a 15 percent approval rating in New Jersey before Beachgate, has wisely decided to take his tough guy routine on the road this summer.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Chris Christie Confronts Heckler, Doesn’t Drop a Single Nacho," 30 July 2017
BEDFORD, Mass. -- The bomb squad was called to Hanscom Air Force Base Thursday morning after potentially explosive material was found in a moving truck during a routine vehicle inspection, CBS Boston reports.

— CBS News, "Suspicious truck prompts bomb squad response at Hanscom Air Force base," 6 July 2017

First Known Use of routine

1744

routine Synonyms

Synonyms

average, common, commonplace, cut-and-dried (also cut-and-dry), everyday, garden-variety, normal, prosaic, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, standard, standard-issue, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday

Antonyms

abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, odd, out-of-the-way, strange, unusual

Related Words

regular, typical, unextraordinary; familiar, homely, plain, plain-Jane, popular, vulgar; natural; customary, wonted; insignificant, trivial, unimportant; frequent, habitual; expected, predictable

Near Antonyms

curious, funny, peculiar, quaint, queer; aberrant, anomalous, atypical, irregular, untypical; rare, recherché, scarce; fantastic (also fantastical), phenomenal; bizarre, far-out, Kafkaesque, outrageous, outré, wacky (also whacky), way-out, weird, wild; eccentric, idiosyncratic, kooky (also kookie), nonconformist, oddball, offbeat, unconventional, unorthodox; freak, freakish; conspicuous, notable, novel, outstanding, prominent, salient, signal, striking, unexampled, unprecedented; singular, unique, unparalleled

ROUTINE Defined for English Language Learners

routine

play

noun

Definition of routine for English Language Learners

: 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

play

adjective

Definition of routine for English Language Learners

: 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

ROUTINE Defined for Kids

routine

play

noun rou·tine \ rü-ˈtēn \

Definition of routine for Students

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

adjective

Definition of routine for Students

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.

—

routinely

adverb

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Other Dance Terms

routine

Definition of routine

routinely

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Recent Examples of routine from the Web

First Known Use of routine

routine Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Near Antonyms

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ROUTINE Defined for English Language Learners

routine

Definition of routine for English Language Learners

routine

Definition of routine for English Language Learners

ROUTINE Defined for Kids

routine

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routine

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routinely

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