as in routines
an established and often automatic or monotonous series of actions followed when engaging in some activity
I've fallen into a rut, watching television and then going to bed every night
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Recent Examples of ruts
Regardless, county crews are constantly filling these ruts and encourage drivers to report them.
—
Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Some wagon wheel ruts are still visible.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026
Edwards is the vehicle that often drives their offense and pulls them out of ruts.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
Wet grass can clog your mower, leave ruts in the soil, and raise the risk of lawn diseases.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Then, good teams are able to get out of those ruts faster.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
However, any potholes or large ruts will throw everything off.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Steep hills, ruts and low-traction surfaces were easily navigable.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Meal planning ruts can plague lunchtime, too, after all.
—Alexis Berger, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Some wagon wheel ruts are still visible.
—Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 15 Jan. 2026
Edwards is the vehicle that often drives their offense and pulls them out of ruts.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
Wet grass can clog your mower, leave ruts in the soil, and raise the risk of lawn diseases.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Then, good teams are able to get out of those ruts faster.
—Dennis Lin, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
However, any potholes or large ruts will throw everything off.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Steep hills, ruts and low-traction surfaces were easily navigable.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2025
Meal planning ruts can plague lunchtime, too, after all.
—Alexis Berger, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruts
Noun
-
Trendy skin care routines have the potential to harm teenagers' sensitive skin.—
Jana Pollack,
Parents,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Cobblestone streets wind through older neighborhoods, horses are still a common sight, and traditional routines like the hand-pressing of fresh corn tortillas, continue alongside modern tourism.—
Kathleen Peddicord,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This pack is more interested in electronic grooves as a means of exploration than pop hits that use the beat to rocket us to a chorus, but the pool remains rather mainstream nevertheless.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The audience swayed to the grooves of music from the Katamari Damacy series before Okubo changed the tone with the powerful beat of Tekken 8, creating a more aggressive vibe.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Season with a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and cook until softened, 5–6 minutes.—
Hailee Catalano,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Water is drawn up through the grinds via the food-grade tubing and centrifugally extracted to yield a 12-oz (355-ml) serving of cold brew coffee in five minutes.—
Shirl Leigh
January 22,
New Atlas,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruts. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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