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
Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
After incorporating Pulsetto into his routine more consistently, his ratings for evening relaxation and morning freshness rose from three out of 10 to eight out of 10.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
Both cases became touchstones for how ethics consultants and care teams navigate the life‑and‑death decisions that have become routine in an era of life‑sustaining technology.
—Jennifer McCurdy, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for routine
Noun
At one juncture, Bassichis recounts a routine that Maya did about coming out as gay to his father, a devout Catholic who reassured him that their family would pay any price for a cure.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
After incorporating Pulsetto into his routine more consistently, his ratings for evening relaxation and morning freshness rose from three out of 10 to eight out of 10.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
Adjective
Instead, San Francisco has already fired its third base coach, turns every routine fielding play into an adventure, and has pitching that has fallen off a cliff.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
Both cases became touchstones for how ethics consultants and care teams navigate the life‑and‑death decisions that have become routine in an era of life‑sustaining technology.
—Jennifer McCurdy, The Conversation, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for routine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routine
Noun
-
There’s a certain predictability to the plots in a Taylor Sheridan production — a kind of slow, relentless grind from crisis to crisis, punctuated by occasional eruptions of violence.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
But that doesn’t change the fact that both players were essential in their own ways to Denver’s survival of the 82-game grind.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Also on the wellness menu are group exercise classes, a squeaky clean modern fitness room, and an outdoor Thalasso therapy pool, heated slightly during the day, that uses the natural healing elements of saltwater to alleviate ailments.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Undoubtedly, these reconsiderations have been a largely positive exercise, foregrounding not only more equitable but more accurate and more engaging histories, and opening gallery and museum doors to previously excluded artists (even if many have suffered with the ups and downs of speculation).—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The book is a poetry collection structured in three acts with seven players, each assigned a color of the rainbow and an apparition’s name, each of whom needs an audience to fully exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
Kareem chased it down in the corner, did a bit of a tightrope act to stay inbounds, then turned around and drained it with near-perfect form.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jabbing pain and constant malaise followed him for years, but regular blood tests always came back normal — until one day a specialist thought to ask something new.—
Rachel Zimmerman,
Washington Post,
6 June 2026
-
Although resuming his normal testosterone dosage shortly after the procedure, Kenny’s menstrual cycle started to return.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Montenegro and Albania are seen as the frontrunners among the Western Balkans, while Ukraine and Moldova are moving closer to opening formal membership talks.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
-
Smooth, efficient, and impeccable, though at times, stiffly formal.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Green Bay has to hope the NFL shows its usual apathy and Jacobs gets off before ending up in Kansas City.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
Despite throwing his four-seam fastball 1 mph faster than usual, the pitch resulted in a strike 76% of the time.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The den resembles the room of someone who is stuck in a depressive rut, like Clark.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Mow a different direction each time the lawn is cut to avoid ruts in the turf.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The lens widened further to embrace categories of practice not conventionally regarded as art, most prominently, craft; here, too, the art establishment focused on textiles and ceramics engaged with an existing modernism, as opposed to the 1970s focus on regional and communal networks.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Thursday’s practice at Halas Hall was open to reporters, offering an opportunity to put the magnifying glass over a handful of key topics.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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