Definition of routinenext
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

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2
as in exercise
something done over and over in order to develop skill a weapons training routine

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in act
a performance regularly presented by an individual or group did a tired routine that's been around since the days of vaudeville

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 routine
Noun
Work stress, health routines or an uneven distribution of responsibilities can expose an imbalance with a significant other or close friend. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 July 2026 Reformed was founded in 2024 by Neil Saada and Neil Marrakchi, who were looking to make people’s morning routines healthier, easier and more efficient. Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 9 July 2026
Adjective
Each week, Mantooth’s Gage, partner Roy De Soto (Kevin Tighe) and their firefighter colleagues would answer calls both routine and calamitous. Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 10 July 2026 Beijing has described the test as a routine military exercise but has not disclosed the type of missile used or its exact flight path. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for routine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routine
Noun
  • Located near Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley National Park allows visitors to escape the daily grind of urban life and immerse themselves in nature.
    Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • In a country built on perpetual grind (westward expansion, the machismo of the highway), the motorcycle distills that promise to its essence.
    Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Other research pointed in the same direction, and by 2008, Falk and other exercise physiologists were arguing against the status-quo assumption that kids had some major natural deficits in thermoregulation.
    Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026
  • Anyone who has sat through a mandatory team-building exercise knows the difference between a ritual that binds and a program that irritates.
    Julia Dhar, Time, 11 July 2026
Noun
  • Zizou stuck to his plan to retire after that World Cup, so the headbutt was his final act as a player.
    Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026
  • The act has become so popular that hundreds of Norwegian fans rowed in Miami Beach on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s match.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Adjective
  • For many women, painful periods are treated as an unfortunate but normal part of life.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Typically, El Niño is associated with wetter-than-normal conditions during the winter in Southern California.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Adjective
  • Although the achievement is still awaiting formal certification, the milestone highlights the rapid evolution of high-performance drones for military applications.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 10 July 2026
  • Braverman was writing in response to another parliamentarian who noted that Jamaica planned to lodge a formal petition for reparations later this year.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Adjective
  • The announcement came with all the usual comparisons to the big foundation models against benchmarks that provide some vague sense of capability.
    Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 10 July 2026
  • The American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament returned to the shores of Lake Tahoe on Friday with its usual assortment of sports and entertainment celebrities and tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans.
    José Luis Villegas, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • The Braves are still trying to wiggle out of a mid-season rut, and have shaved their lead in the NL East to just three games ahead of the Phillies.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • Perhaps, as that early Japanese translator suggested, all Americans are indeed created in the same rut.
    Teresa M. Bejan, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
Noun
  • In March, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned on X that oil refiners and corporations engaged in price-fixing would be held accountable, vowing to deploy all lawful measures against unethical business practices.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Even with this practice, there should be an effort, if possible, to avoid training or competition during the hottest times of day.
    Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 6 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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