GROOVES Synonyms: 108 Similar and Opposite Words

grooves 1 of 2

noun

plural of groove

as in routines

an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity I can't get into the groove on Monday morning without a cup of coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in places

a situation or activity for which a person or thing is best suited after years of bouncing from job to job, she discovered that her natural groove was social work

Synonyms & Similar Words

grooves

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of groove

as in files

to mark with or as if with a line or groove if you groove that piece of wood, we should be able to fit this smaller board into it

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in blends

to form a pleasing relationship surprisingly, his flighty, artistic sensibility and her no-nonsense practicality groove together rather well

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 grooves

Noun

In another part of the factory, a worker used a wooden stick, like a tongue compressor at a doctor’s office, to scrape excess bits of explosive out of the grooves inside each shell, ensuring that the base would screw on smoothly. —

Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026 The album’s more frenetic tracks lean further toward the uncanny, developing chimeric grooves that brim with unresolved tension. —

Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026 Brooks Ghost 17 A blend of soft and dynamic cushioning in the midsole, plus forefoot flex grooves, help the Ghost 17 roll smoothly and comfortably for miles. —

Lisa Jhung, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026 Japanese percussionist and bamboo flutist Kaoru Watanabe and Sicilian multi-instrumentalist Francesco Turrisi contribute to the polyrhythmic grooves and spacious, reflective passages. —

Andrew Gilbert, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Mar. 2026 For an artist whose hits have leaned heavily into funk-pop anthems and retro-modern grooves, opening his first solo album in a decade with a bolero is an unexpected statement — but a fearless embrace of his cultural and artistic heritage. —

Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 13 Mar. 2026 People with disabilities and their families from more prosperous backgrounds are much more likely to participate in programs such as ABLE, which easily match the grooves of upper-middle-class life. —

Michael Frerichs, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026 Their songs had incredible grooves. —

Devon Ivie, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026 With slit-seeding, a machine called either a slice seeder or slit seeder cuts vertical slits through the thatch layer and into the soil, leaving behind shallow grooves about one-inch deep. —

Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026

Verb

Released at the top of the year, Vacancy, her third studio effort, highlights Lennox’s warm, buttery voice over the sultry grooves she’s known for. —

Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026 Chops, gouges, wounds it like the shadow grooves on the sidewalks—the sun is setting earlier. —

Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026 After centuries of use, the board bore grooves and marks left by real human hands moving real pieces across its surface. —

Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026 Bar Tab Dan Stahl grooves to a cover band in melting-pot midtown. —

Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026 Celebrity nail artist Queenie Nguyen gives these bright copper nails indents and grooves for a unique way to dress them up. —

Audrey Noble, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025 In the spring, Caltrans intends to remove the channelizers and put in what are called rumble strips — in this case, grooves in the roadway — from the School-State Park turnoff to Newport Coast Drive, to gently jar off-course drivers to attention. —

Jim Radcliffe, Oc Register, 5 Dec. 2025 And perhaps Edwards’ absence will force the likes of Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo to find more consistent offense grooves out of necessity and volume. —

Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025 Six strong permanent magnets attach the X50’s sole dust filter to its bottom panel, and grooves at the base of its feet lock one edge into place. —

PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grooves

Noun

These words are the first step to building long-term routines that genuinely work for all collaborators.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2026
The vans serve about 190 students, many of whom rely on strict daily routines.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026