as in grind
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity
learned the rote for the exercise warm-up but not the reasoning behind it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in routine
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 rote
Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Remote learning also often emphasized rote learning, a technique based on repetition that some experts believe may favor boys.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 11 Aug. 2025
Both automations worked as intended without any major hiccups, which bodes well for freelancers who want to reduce rote tasks.
—Alison Barretta, PC Magazine, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rote
Noun
In the years leading up to the pandemic, teaching practices shifted to deemphasize speed, competition and rote memorization.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Remote learning also often emphasized rote learning, a technique based on repetition that some experts believe may favor boys.
—Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Or when a student who suffered through four years of high school thinking history is about rote memorization unlocks its enormous analytical power to help better understand our present and think about the future, too.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 11 Aug. 2025
Both automations worked as intended without any major hiccups, which bodes well for freelancers who want to reduce rote tasks.
—Alison Barretta, PC Magazine, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rote
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rote
Noun
-
Earlier, during a quiet evening at their home in Dallas, Texas, Muhl and her husband Andrew decided to mix peanut butter with some banana as part of their routine of introducing new foods one by one.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
-
From smart food choices to better sleep routines, small changes can make a big difference for your digestion.—
Julie Marks,
Verywell Health,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Last season, in Game 5 of the Panthers’ second-round series against Toronto, Boqvist finished with a goal and an assist with Rodrigues injured and played alongside Barkov and Sam Reinhart on Florida’s top line after moving up from his usual spot on the fourth line.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
8 Oct. 2025
-
NBCUniversal has locked in its usual Monday kickoff week to upfronts week in New York, confirming May 11 as the date of its main presentation to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Empowered by his newfound zen, Peter and his friends reckon with their purpose at work, and the daily grind of climbing the corporate ladder.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Only lately, watching the latest titles has become a bit of a grind for the 87-year-old filmmaker.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Advertisement The rise in flu cases around the continent, as well as outbreaks in Europe earlier this year, have led some medical experts to warn that influenza may be evolving to spread more quickly or earlier than typical in some regions.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Boise State’s Albertsons Stadium will be switching the gridiron for the baseball diamond next summer, but this isn’t for your typical baseball game.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Murphy Door’s growth has been anything but ordinary.—
Ashley Lutz,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The Aqua Villas at Mangrove Marina While this may seem like an ordinary accommodation to locals, most visitors will probably get a kick out of this pick.—
Teaghan Skulszki,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Sure, last season was punctuated by an intriguing finish, but for the most part, Canales’ offense has felt unimaginative.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Sep. 2025
-
An unimaginative offseason and years of poor drafting left had them no choice.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
So folding in those salaries along with pre-arb salaries and all the other standard stuff, like player benefits and minor-league salaries, should add another $50 million.—
Andrew Baggarly,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
These devices emit bursts of electromagnetic energy across multiple bands, effectively blinding or hijacking most standard FPV drones that depend on Wi-Fi or radio.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Inflammation is a normal response to strength training, when muscle fibers develop small tears.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Turmeric has not been proven to lower blood sugar in individuals with normal baseline levels.—
Megan Nunn,
Verywell Health,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rote.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rote. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share