routine 1 of 2

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

1
2
3

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
As a result, Keys maintains a fitness routine off the court to strengthen her overall prowess as an athlete. Andy Frye, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 What perspective shift would break you out of a routine that limits your growth? Usa Today, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The lack of routine and scheduled activities, however, may pose a serious risk for children who fill that void with gaming. Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 22 Aug. 2025 Headquartered in Chicago, the company’s mission is clear: to make early detection of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases not only possible, but routine. Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for routine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for routine
Noun
  • The result is often an emotional and logistical grind.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Just six weeks after giving birth to Shai, Osaka was back on the grind and shared her intense workouts on social media.
    Kayla Grant, People.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • After amputation, owners should follow the vet's aftercare instructions carefully, and look into a slowly increasing exercise program to build strength in their remaining limbs, pet-food manufacturer Purina says.
    Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
  • What a ludicrous exercise and impossible task this is.
    Scott Powers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Breaking through as in independent act has never been tougher.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The nostalgia has hit music as well, where TRL-era acts like Backstreet Boys, Nelly, the Goo Goo Dolls and Oasis are all enjoying successful residencies and summer tours.
    Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Boeing’s uncrewed spacecraft fits in normal rocket fairings, or nosecones, and has flown five times on United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets, once on SpaceX Falcon 9 and once on Falcon Heavy.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Permission denied The Unification Bridge, spanning the Imjin River in Paju, South Korea, has long been a ceremonial crossing point for summit meetings, family reunions, and rare delegations traveling between the Koreas.
    Gawon Bae, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Win McNamee/Getty Images A ceremonial military honor guard lined the South Lawn of the White House on Monday morning as seven European leaders arrived for a pivotal round of meetings with Trump.
    Hannah Parry Amanda Castro Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Patrick Iversen will be back with our usual twice-weekly newsletter releases from next week. F1 2025’s Remaining Themes The biggest talking points of the season run-in 1.
    Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The eat-in kitchen has your usual niceties — a stainless-steel farmhouse sink, quartz counters, a walk-in pantry — while the three bedrooms upstairs all are comfortably sized.
    Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The clip opens with a pretty-in-pink Joel, clean-cut but stuck in a rut with her husband, who is played by the singer’s real-life fiancé Ryan Gleason.
    Rachel DeSantis, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • If you’ve been stuck in a wellness rut and are looking for small ways to nourish yourself, these recipes pack in the flavor and will help cement fiber into your daily routine.
    Ashia Aubourg, Outside, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Critics say the practice incentivizes tomb raiders to loot ancient archeological sites and that the objects belong in their countries of origin.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Hybrid independence is not a destination but a practice; a daily choice to design systems that serve multiple stakeholders across multiple timescales.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Routine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/routine. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on routine

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!