routine

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   The usual order in which you regularly do things, especially in your daily life.

   Grammar: Countable for a specific pattern: a morning routine. Uncountable for the idea: the routine of school life.

   Patterns

   • a daily routine
   • get into a routine
   • break the routine

   Her morning routine includes a short run and a cold shower.

   Moving abroad disrupted our usual routine.

   He found comfort in the routine of the farm.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Done as a normal, regular part of a process, rather than being special or unusual.

   Grammar: Mostly before a noun: a routine check.

   Patterns

   • a routine check
   • routine maintenance

   The doctor ordered a routine blood test.

   Police made a routine stop on the highway.

   Routine maintenance takes place every Sunday.

3. 3adjectivecomparabledisapproving

   Boring and repetitive because it lacks anything new or interesting.

   Grammar: Often has a disapproving tone: the work became routine.

   Patterns

   • become routine

   The job felt routine after a few months.

   His speeches had become routine and predictable.

   The film's plot was routine.

4. 4nouncountable

   A fixed sequence of moves or jokes performed as part of a show, such as a dance or comedy act.

   Grammar: A countable noun: a dance routine, a comedy routine.

   Patterns

   • a dance routine
   • perform a routine

   The gymnast performed a flawless floor routine.

   He did a stand-up routine about airports.

   The dancers practiced the routine for weeks.

Word forms

Common combinations

daily routine

Exercise is part of my daily routine.

morning routine

A good morning routine helps her focus.

routine check-up

She went for a routine check-up.

stick to a routine

Children do better if you stick to a routine.

break the routine

A weekend trip broke the routine.

Synonyms and how they differ

habit

A habit is something you do almost without thinking, while a routine is a planned sequence.

schedule

A schedule is a timetable set by plan, whereas a routine is simply what you usually do.

ordinary

Ordinary means normal and unremarkable, without the idea of regular repetition.

humdrum

Humdrum means dull and monotonous, so it is more negative than routine.

Opposites

Word family

routinely adverb

as a normal, regular part of what happens

routinize verb

to make into a fixed routine

routineness noun

the quality of being routine

Commonly confused: routine or route?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “routine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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