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

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

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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

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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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in usual
often observed or encountered the movie is a routine thriller that has little to recommend it

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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
Quietly depressed, a wife to Reuben (Tracy Letts, Coon’s real-life partner) and mother to Ella (Bella Ramsey) and Jo (Odessa Young), Rita holds a monotonous desk job at a bank by day, and tends to her family by night as part of her humdrum routine. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 In 2011, after returning to Nigeria, Alatise invited Kingham for a visit of several weeks, in what would soon become an annual routine. — Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Adjective
Pre-existing conditions and routine maintenance are generally excluded. — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2026 More and more now, parents were refusing the routine vitamin K shot given to newborns to help their blood clot, and doctors were starting to see babies hemorrhaging because of it. — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 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
  • Riley, who finished with 232 all-purpose yards Friday, provided the jolts early as the Blackhawks used big plays to counter the grind-it-out attack used by Streamwood.
    — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Evans herself asked Starr to put her work through the grind of interpretation.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of grind
Noun
  • They may also be put through an exercise test on a treadmill or stationary bike.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The team conducted dozens of complete exercises at sea, along with demonstrations at the pier.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of exercise
Noun
  • And Oklahoma’s Isaiah Sategna got in on the act with an 88-yard punt return touchdown.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Berry, who died on Monday at the age of 92, lived a life defined by acts of radical abstention.
    — Joe Fassler, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of act
Adjective
  • Although Edouard is not forecast to become a hurricane, the hurricane center has warned coastal residents to closely monitor the forecast as the storm is in an area of warmer than normal water and low wind shear, which favor strengthening.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That change was introduced to help give club staff working across transfer departments a more normal working pattern.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Because this wasn’t a traditional sit-down dinner, there wasn’t one formal tablescape.
    — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The firearms retailer never got any formal complaints at that location, according to city officials in Goleta, an affluent Santa Barbara County coastal town.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • The trio of hurricanes represents a level of elevated activity consistent with El Niño, a natural climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-usual sea surface temperatures in parts of the Pacific Ocean.
    — Denise Chow, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Osaka, who was asked about the situation after her second-round win on Thursday, was her usual thoughtful self in response.
    — Corey Seymour, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of usual
Noun
  • Turns out America’s enthusiasm for itself has gone into a bit of a rut—more than 80% of Americans felt proud in 2010, but only 53% feel that way today.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The rut is a great time to kill a buck, but the early season is the best time to kill a specific buck.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of rut
Noun
  • Bowers dominated the Raiders’ defense in training camp, had success against a top Texans unit in their joint practice and is obviously the key to igniting the offense.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The nicest of the quartet, Springfield features a large clubhouse, a beautiful practice area with an oversized putting green and a challenging 6,906-yard course that is hilly, woody and will ask you to hit lots of precise shots.
    — Langston Wertz Jr, Charlotte Observer, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of practice

Browse Nearby Words

routeways
routine
routinely
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Cite this Entry

“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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