as in throngs
a great number of persons or creatures massed together
a great rout of rubberneckers had gathered around the scene of the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in defeats
failure to win a contest
the championship game was a humiliating rout for the team that had been favored to win
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in escapes
the act or an instance of getting free from danger or confinement
in the mad rout from the school shooter, it was every person for himself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bombs
to defeat by a large margin
as expected, the professional team had no trouble routing the amateurs
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in outs
to drive or force out
the nation's ground and air forces quickly routed the would-be invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of routs
La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025
Let the home routs and the Albertsons Stadium invincibility continue.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 28 Sep. 2025
Yes, the Fed might be able to step in judiciously to prevent retreats from turning into routs.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 21 Sep. 2025
That the show is a food-star factory is not exactly in the spirit of the bake-offs that inspired it, which were vicious routs among just-above-average home bakers, for almost no measurable reward.
—Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2026
Dean Smith collects his 700th career coaching victory as North Carolina routs Maryland 105-73.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
McClymonds routs Oakland Tech in Silver Bowl, dedicates championship to former Skyline and Laney football coach John Beam, who was shot and killed last week.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 23 Nov. 2025
Noun
High school football in La Jolla this week was a tale of two routs — one on the positive side and the other not so much.
—La Jolla Light, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025
Let the home routs and the Albertsons Stadium invincibility continue.
—Jim Keyser, Idaho Statesman, 28 Sep. 2025
Yes, the Fed might be able to step in judiciously to prevent retreats from turning into routs.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 21 Sep. 2025
That the show is a food-star factory is not exactly in the spirit of the bake-offs that inspired it, which were vicious routs among just-above-average home bakers, for almost no measurable reward.
—Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Covenant Classical routs Weatherford Christian Fort Worth Covenant Classical got 17 points from Tate Mitchell to lead the Cavaliers to a 84-32 victory against Weatherford Christian in a TAPPS 1-3A game on Friday.
—Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2026
Dean Smith collects his 700th career coaching victory as North Carolina routs Maryland 105-73.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
McClymonds routs Oakland Tech in Silver Bowl, dedicates championship to former Skyline and Laney football coach John Beam, who was shot and killed last week.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 23 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routs
Verb
-
The United States bombs Iran's nuclear facilities days later.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Page Six gets a Hollywood edition Papps declined last week to reveal what stories his reporters were chasing and what bombs the political columnists will throw in its first editions.—
Christopher Weber,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ezekiel Richardson outs himself as a spy for the Continental Army to Claire.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Luckily, the king’s favorite wife, Esther, outs herself as Jewish.—
Betsy Andrews,
Saveur,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Placer County Water Agency has mapped out $295 million in projects that will upgrade infrastructure, such as rebuilding plants and rehabbing buries pipes, from the foothills to the freeway.—
Nicole Buss,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Despite such doubts, Malaysia is positioning itself as Southeast Asia's hub for the alternative technology, a three-step process that captures, transports and buries carbon dioxide which contributes to climate change.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Both trials — one in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the other in Los Angeles — pointed to the struggles Meta has faced to adequately police Facebook and Instagram, which remain the primary cash engines as the company chases Google, OpenAI and Anthropic in artificial intelligence.—
Ari Levy,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
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Catcher Clayton Namken chases a high fastball, striking out swinging.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Benbrook whips Diamond Hill-Jarvis Benbrook stayed on pace for a playoff berth in District 8-4A as the Lady Bobcats thumped Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 55-7.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, a salty liquid containing calcium chloride (a salt often used to de-ice roads) is pumped through the regenerator, which carries the heat away and ejects it to the surroundings on exit.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Results published in Nature show that cells use bioelectricity to coordinate a complex collective behavior called extrusion, a vital process that ejects sick or struggling individual cells from tissue to maintain health and keep growth in check.—
Elise Cutts,
Quanta Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Leo consistently overcomes challenges such as low light, rapid movement, and split second moments to produce sharp, compelling images.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
-
LithSonic overcomes this challenge by using supersonic flow, similar to the conditions inside a rocket engine, to achieve ultra-rapid cooling through a process known as shock quenching.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In one of her sharpest lines, Valerie dismisses her Emmy-winning work in Paulie G’s prestige series.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
-
The exemption dismisses the need for a full environmental review, which usually includes an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) requiring more study of possible effects on other species, examining alternative options, as well as a formal, public hearing process.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Routs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routs. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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