routine 1 of 2

noun

rü-ˈtēn How to pronounce routine (audio)
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

Relevance
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

routine

2 of 2

adjective

rü-ˈtēn How to pronounce routine (audio)
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

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
It can be done outside, alone, with friends or as part of an existing walking routine. — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated his 79th birthday with his workout routine. — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Adjective
On December 17, the FA provisionally suspended him after an adverse finding in a routine urine sample. — Simon Johnson, New York Times, 31 July 2026 The Venezuelan man was taken into ICE custody July 21 during a routine check-in appointment with immigration authorities in Chicago. — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for routine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routine
  1. grind
  2. exercise
  3. act
  4. normal
  5. formal
  6. usual
  7. rut
  8. practice
Noun
  • Robert Mynatt, the roastmaster at Volcanica Coffee, says that espresso requires an extremely fine grind, one that many home grinders (primarily blade grinders) are unable to evenly and consistently produce.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Goldman Sachs ' dealmaking prowess may grab all the glory, but the biggest driver of growth last quarter came from the daily-grind of equities trading.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of grind
Noun
  • Mental exercise can be just as enriching as physical activity.
    — Cathy M. Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • That would be news to Big Pharma, which has invested billions developing wildly popular obesity drugs, not to mention the decades of public-health campaigns devoted to diet, exercise and weight loss.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • Burnham was mayor of Greater Manchester before vaulting back into national politics, and one of his first acts was to set up a branch office in the city.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In October 2025, Morris pleaded guilty to five counts of lewd and indecent acts with a child and was sentenced to six months in the Osage County, Oklahoma, jail.
    — Giles Hudson, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of act
Adjective
  • That matters because if the public and investors start to doubt inflation will get back to normal, workers would likely demand major wage hikes and companies would preemptively raise prices.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
  • There was an intervention with a client to navigate a relationship dynamic, and a lifestyle decision was outside of my normal coaching repertoire.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • The company noticed the order, reached out, and built a formal marketing relationship from there.
    — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lenders, too, can adjust their rate offers upward as a formal rate hike grows in likelihood.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • Malnati will have to hold off a field that is stronger than usual in Detroit.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Lincoln City Manager Sean Scully joked about the unusual scene when asked by The Sacramento Bee why council members and staff had traded their usual attire for Western wear.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of usual
Noun
  • Now is your chance to break out of a rut to be authentic and bold on your terms.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 27 July 2026
  • The plot involves Brian trying to get out of an emotional and psychological rut by volunteering to be a drug-sniffing dog for the local police force.
    — Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026
Definition of rut
Noun
  • His smiley story of slapping a $5 bill on Jalen Carter’s chest after the defensive tackle’s contract extension contributes to a preseason energy that feels a lot like when Hurts and Nick Sirianni rode out of practice together on a golf cart in 2024.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • There were certain days during camp — Family Day and the team's Friday Night Lights practice at nearby Greater Latrobe High School — when Heyward knew the intensity level would spike.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of practice

Browse Nearby Words

routeways
routine
routinely
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on routine

Nglish: Translation of routine for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of mitigate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All