routine — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   habitwontritual

2. A set of normal procedures, often performed mechanically.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   rut

   Examples

   Connie was completely robotic and emotionless by age 12; her entire life had become one big routine.

   More examples (1)

   It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.

3. A set piece of an entertainer's act.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Examples

   stand-up comedy routine

4. A performance, execution of gymnastics for one of the apparatus.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   composition

5. A set of instructions designed to perform a specific task; a subroutine.

   Usage

   • Countable
   • Uncountable

   Synonyms

   functionproceduresubroutine

Adjective

1. According to established procedure.

   Synonyms

   by the bookconventionaltraditional

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   "Morning, inspector," affably remarked the cripple—he had not failed to observe the badge—"rather early for your job, eh? Nothing wrong with our supply up here, I hope, eh?" "Nothing at all, sir," said the inspector. "Just an ordinary routine round. We do them regularly."

2. Regular; habitual.

   Synonyms

   generalregularusual

   Examples

   Pepper's forgiven me in the quiet, hurt way women sometimes forgive. She doesn't cry. She doesn't smile either. She's being routine.

   More examples (1)

   Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.[…]One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful.

3. Ordinary with nothing to distinguish it from all the others.

   Synonyms

   customarymundanetypical

   Examples

   Stoke put themselves in a fine position to qualify for the Europa League knockout stage with a routine victory over Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel.

4. Boringly predictable, monotonous, and unchanging

   Examples

   I found the work pretty routine.

Adjective

1. found in the ordinary course of events

   Synonyms

   everydaymundanequotidianunremarkableworkaday

   Examples

   a placid everyday scene

   it was a routine day

Noun

1. an unvarying or habitual method or procedure

   Synonyms

   modus operandi

   Broader terms

   procedureprocess

2. a short performance that is part of a longer program

   Synonyms

   actnumberturnbit

   Broader terms

   performancepublic presentation

   Examples

   he did his act three times every evening

   she had a catchy little routine

   More examples (1)

   it was one of the best numbers he ever did

3. a set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program

   Synonyms

   subroutinesubprogramprocedurefunction

   Broader terms

   softwaresoftware programcomputer softwaresoftware systemsoftware packagepackage