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

Todd’s upcoming album builds upon the grooves of his previous work but feels more honest than past releases. —

Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 The invention that Edison brought into the offices of Scientific American also used sound vibrations to make a needle vibrate—in his case, by digging grooves into a strip of tinfoil or paper that was embossed with wax. —

Ron Cowen, Scientific American, 3 June 2026 The open-toe style had a rounded black footbed, padded upper and a thick rubber sole with deep grooves along the bottom edge. —

Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 1 June 2026 While such rings have been used to determine the presence of exoplanets around stars, this new research suggests a way to use those grooves to actually assess the characteristics of exoplanets, too. —

Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 June 2026 To start with, thin strips of bronze were stamped and milled to create a pattern that evokes the parallel grooves of a vinyl record. —

Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 31 May 2026 Use a brush to get into the grooves and wheel spokes. —

Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 May 2026 This Pride Month edition of a Sunday tea dance promises gospel house, disco and rare grooves at Oakland’s historic LGBTQ+ bar. —

Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 30 May 2026 The Rochester team precisely tuned their metal’s micro-grooves to guide this natural outward force. —

Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 May 2026

Verb

So, let’s close out Night 2 with a big helping of soulful island reggae grooves from Maui’s Maoli on the HelloFresh Stage. —

Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 13 May 2026 Cruz grooves onstage with the mystique of a natural rock star — this could well be her ultimate Hall of Fame moment. —

Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for grooves

Noun

Once Venus enters Leo, all of that romantic momentum moves towards your daily duties and self-care routines.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
Throughout the testing period, participants recorded how their skin looked and felt, then rated each cream across key factors, including texture, absorption, overnight hydration, and compatibility with existing routines.

— Jenny Berg, InStyle, 4 June 2026