the rout was on
idiom
—used to say that a game or contest becomes one in which the winner easily defeats the loser by a large amount
After they scored their fourth goal, the rout was on.
Examples of the rout was on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By the time Cade Saunders tossed a 30-yard TD pass to Mehan with less than a minute to go in the first, the rout was on.
—
Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
Atticus Sappington added a 23-yard field goal in the opening quarter and the rout was on.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
From there, the rout was on, with the Clippers beginning the second quarter on a 10-2 run.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
By that time, however, the rout was on, and the Canucks had significant margin for error as a result of a peculiar, incredible shift from Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
Eventually, the rout was on, much like the ‘Canes’ 89-54 loss in Durham, N.C. on Jan. 14.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Jeremy Ebobisse added a brace with goals in the 29th and 35th minutes, and the rout was on.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024
When Sydney Leroux added a goal five minutes later, the rout was on.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2023
Chase and the Bengals never recovered, and the rout was on.
—cleveland, 6 Sep. 2023
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Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
Atticus Sappington added a 23-yard field goal in the opening quarter and the rout was on.
—Anne M. Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
From there, the rout was on, with the Clippers beginning the second quarter on a 10-2 run.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
By that time, however, the rout was on, and the Canucks had significant margin for error as a result of a peculiar, incredible shift from Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander.
—Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
Eventually, the rout was on, much like the ‘Canes’ 89-54 loss in Durham, N.C. on Jan. 14.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Jeremy Ebobisse added a brace with goals in the 29th and 35th minutes, and the rout was on.
—Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2024
When Sydney Leroux added a goal five minutes later, the rout was on.
—Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2023
Chase and the Bengals never recovered, and the rout was on.
—cleveland, 6 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“The rout was on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20rout%20was%20on. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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