routine

noun

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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

adjective

rou·tine | \ rü-ˈtēn

, 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

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about routine

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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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Outside of the inescapable daily testing — more privilege — and the changes in the facility to prevent the spread of the virus, players and staff were able to lose themselves in their regular routine of preparing for an upcoming opponent. — Luke Johnson, NOLA.com, "Saints reflect on an unforgettable year marked by unprecedented challenges. 'It was an escape'," 22 Jan. 2021 Fields went through his regular routine with quarterbacks coach Corey Dennis throwing short, intermediate and deep passes. — Stephen Means, cleveland, "How does Ohio State football’s Justin Fields look warming up in preparation for National Championship?," 11 Jan. 2021 The goal is to return to a regular routine next week in preparation for the Dec. 12 game at Nebraska. — Megan Ryan, Star Tribune, "Gophers football team returns to light practice, reports two new COVID-19 cases," 3 Dec. 2020 Getting back to my regular workout routine, so definitely it’s been great. — Callie Caplan, Dallas News, "From Little Elm HS to the Mavericks? RJ Hampton discusses his pre-draft interview with Dallas and more," 12 Nov. 2020 Pele used to have a regular routine that got him out of the house. — Heather E. Schwartz, National Geographic, "Don’t let the pandemic keep kids from going outside in chilly weather," 12 Nov. 2020 In fact, a regular yoga routine helps with not only insomnia but also improved total sleep time and sleep efficiency, according to research. — Stephanie Mansour, CNN, "Yoga for stress-related insomnia," 2 Nov. 2020 Chaundra Woods stepped back into her regular self-care routine recently with a pampering facial at Union Square’s Epi Center MedSpa. — Carolyne Zinko, SFChronicle.com, "As San Francisco reopens, facials return with a dash of science-fiction precautions," 28 Oct. 2020 Step out of your regular routine and block off part of your day to have a little fun. — Tarot Astrologers, chicagotribune.com, "Daily horoscope for October 4, 2020," 4 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective But once the shock of events wore off and everyone found a routine, many parents said they were brought closer to their grown children. — New York Times, "Getting to Know You, Again," 5 Feb. 2021 Lose a bit of weight, add a bit of muscle, establish a routine, live forever, or longer, anyway. — Longreads, "The Geography Closest In," 26 Jan. 2021 The gymnast explained how a couple of elements in the routine represented different aspects of her background. — Emily Shiffer, SELF, "Who Is Nia Dennis? 7 Things to Know About the UCLA Gymnast," 26 Jan. 2021 With a rollicking routine high in difficulty, entertainment value and sheer energy, the 2018 national champion and Olympian outskated two-time defending champ Alysa Liu of Richmond and pre-event favorite Mariah Bell. — Chronicle News Services, SFChronicle.com, "Bradie Tennell outskates two-time defending champion Alysa Liu of Richmond to win short program," 14 Jan. 2021 Typically, my routine consists of unearthing pieces that allow readers to experience some measure of diversion or quiet reflection amid the hubbub of the world swirling around them. — Erin Overbey, The New Yorker, "New Yorker Classics That Resonated in 2020," 29 Dec. 2020 So, for a day, Alabama football paused its preseason practice routine and marched as a team to make a statement for justice. — Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, "Alex Leatherwood, Najee Harris lead Alabama football call for racial justice," 29 Dec. 2020 This has become Parameswran’s nightly routine: updating spreadsheets, calculating and graphing averages, and posting his findings to the neighborhood networking site Nextdoor for others to see. — Jared Weber, Dallas News, "Collin County’s data woes concern residents amid coronavirus spike," 20 Dec. 2020 Mason arrives at the restaurant around 7 a.m., homeschools for three hours via Zoom, spends one hour setting up the kitchen before doors open at 11 a.m., and keeps up the routine Tuesday through Saturday until the restaurant closes at 6 p.m. — Christopher A. Daniel, CBS News, "How a 14-year-old became the youngest restaurant owner in Georgia," 17 Dec. 2020

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.