1
as in grind
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity
part of my morning routine is drinking a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events
this is just a routine inspection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in formal
following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules
the routine procedure for filing a complaint with the board
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in usual
often observed or encountered
the movie is a routine thriller that has little to recommend it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of routine
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
Once dominated by older consumers focused on preventative health, today the category is increasingly driven by younger shoppers interested in performance, personalization and daily wellness routines.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
When the roadway project is completed, Cook County will be responsible for maintaining the entirety of Oakton Street, with the village responsible for routine maintenance of the bicycle lanes and general upkeep for the road, landscaping and sidewalks.
—Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for routine
Noun
Forget time-consuming beauty routines and grab No7’s Restore and Renew Multi-Action serum to give your skin a gorgeous, natural glow.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
Once dominated by older consumers focused on preventative health, today the category is increasingly driven by younger shoppers interested in performance, personalization and daily wellness routines.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Prosecutors said Hammonton police notified their office that Zbikowski failed a routine drug test in February of that year, and Zbikowski was suspended from the department.
—Alexandra Simon, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
When the roadway project is completed, Cook County will be responsible for maintaining the entirety of Oakton Street, with the village responsible for routine maintenance of the bicycle lanes and general upkeep for the road, landscaping and sidewalks.
—Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for routine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routine
Noun
-
Michigan won its first men’s title since 1989, defeating UConn 69-63 in a defensive grind while making just two three-pointers all night.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
-
And then the city snapped back and became an even more aggressive grind than in 2019.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Authorities later executed multiple search warrants and collected items from the home, including exercise bands, medications, electronic devices, notebooks, clothing and a knife.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The crew capsule is vastly improved compared with its Apollo equivalent, the Command Module, with about 60% more habitable space and amenities such as a toilet and exercise machine.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Those are fighting words, and, in the coming days, the Pope can counter them as much through symbolic acts as through words of peace.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.—
Jed Perl,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, said Trump’s attempts to bypass the normal confirmation processes are unconstitutional.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
-
According to the study, it is encoded in the internal structure of the remnant through what physicists call quasi-normal modes.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Together, experts paint a picture of a sector where formal investment risks intersecting with criminal governance, armed violence and illicit supply chains.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Once the formal and complete application is submitted, city officials will then go through the standard review process and decide whether to move forward with a formal hearing.—
Sooji Nam,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The deeper layers of your soul may feel much nearer to the surface than usual.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 2026
-
With speed on the right wing as essentially a pure winger rather than her usual right-back role, Oke gave Reign’s defense fits, especially when another midfielder joined and created overloads.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Additionally, tilling wet soil can do more harm than good by creating dense soil layers and deep ruts.—
Nora Doonan,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Marlins under this owner have no reasonable way out of this rut of building on the cheap toward a future that never gets here.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 27,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The one-on-one matchups between the two have felt like cinema and normally draw most of the eyeballs during practice.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
-
If trends persist, a third and fourth quarterback will be added to the room for training camp, and then only two will be on the active 53-man roster, with another taking up a practice squad roster spot.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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