1
as in ruts
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
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 routines
Families of the district’s more than 390,000 students are reeling with the prospect of life routines thrown into days of uncertainty.
—
Nicole MacIas Garibay, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
So don't forget to eat right, exercise and maintain beneficial routines.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Motivated Mars activates your 6th House of Well-being as of today, motivating you to reconfigure routines and direct your formidable focus toward the tasks that truly count.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Couples are spending an average of $1,100 on beauty and wellness routines in the months leading up to their wedding.
—Sara Radin, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2026
Eventually several members of the reclusive community allowed Christine Marie and Katas to begin filming their daily routines and social gatherings for a documentary about life in the town that locals call the Crick.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
The research does not suggest that owners need to keep pets indoors or alter their routines because of these flatworms.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent personal updates might ripple through your routines, rooms, and family expectations, making all sorts of waves along the way.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The key to success here is to take their feedback and make edits to the routines as needed.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Nicole MacIas Garibay, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
So don't forget to eat right, exercise and maintain beneficial routines.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
Motivated Mars activates your 6th House of Well-being as of today, motivating you to reconfigure routines and direct your formidable focus toward the tasks that truly count.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
Couples are spending an average of $1,100 on beauty and wellness routines in the months leading up to their wedding.
—Sara Radin, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2026
Eventually several members of the reclusive community allowed Christine Marie and Katas to begin filming their daily routines and social gatherings for a documentary about life in the town that locals call the Crick.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026
The research does not suggest that owners need to keep pets indoors or alter their routines because of these flatworms.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent personal updates might ripple through your routines, rooms, and family expectations, making all sorts of waves along the way.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The key to success here is to take their feedback and make edits to the routines as needed.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routines
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
-
Regular theme-parkgoers may find themselves in ruts, making favorites their top priority while avoiding others out of habit.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In cases tied to posture, physical therapy and strengthening exercises may help.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
China hasn't ruled out the use of force and has stepped up its military exercises around Taiwan, sending warships and fighter jets closer toward the island and steadily poaching Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic allies.—
HUIZHONG WU,
Arkansas Online,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prior to the show, the fans even screamed each time the big screens showed commercials for the other acts on the JYP roster.—
Ross Raihala,
Twin Cities,
13 Apr. 2026
-
More than 30 of Africa's 54 countries criminalize homosexual acts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These systems often involve black holes of unequal mass and display strong wobbling and irregular spin patterns.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Its elevation is around 7,000 feet, leading to cooler and wetter weather patterns for communities surrounding the divide in Douglas, Elbert, and El Paso counties.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Gallup poll found that about 4 in 10 workers say their organization has adopted AI tools or technology to improve organizational practices.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
So Livesey thinks that Paul’s letters make much better sense as a literary performance, too, if keyed to second-century Greek concerns and practices.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While they are considered apex predators, grizzlies are mostly opportunistic in their eating habits than wolves, Cummings said.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The narrators of these songs are trapped inside their habits, aware that the inertia of their personalities is too strong to be moved by another person.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Finish with a few grinds of black pepper and serve.—
Nancy Vienneau,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and several grinds of fresh pepper.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Other signs include bubbles under paint or wallpaper, tight doors or windows and grooves or maze-like lines in wood.—
Ana Durrani,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The pieces had been in that container a long, long time, based on grooves in their surface thought to have been caused by burrowing worms.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Routines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routines. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
