1
as in to overcome
to defeat by a large margin
as expected, the professional team had no trouble routing the amateurs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to out
to drive or force out
the nation's ground and air forces quickly routed the would-be invaders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in defeat
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 escape
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 throng
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
2
as in populace
people looked down upon as ignorant and of the lowest class
at first the protests were dismissed as nothing more than the idle doings of the restless rout
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 rout
Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025
Yet those soldiers and sailors had to stretch across a vast global canvas, leaving fewer than three in ten of them to try to rout the insurgents in North America.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 2 Jan. 2026
The biggest game and biggest win in Indiana history went as well as any of the tens of thousands of IU fans in attendance could have dreamed, at the expense of a blue blood suffering its worst loss since a 42-6 rout against Arkansas in 1998 and worst postseason loss ever.
—The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rout
Verb
How to Watch Florida at Ole Miss Ole Miss stepped out of SEC play last week to rout The Citadel, an FCS program, 49-0.
—Noun
His latest victory, a 38-3 rout of Alabama in the Rose Bowl, means a pay raise for the coach, on top of the cash bonuses for the best season in the history of Indiana football.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for rout
Verb
-
Samsung says these structural improvements allow the HP5 to overcome traditional low-light limitations.—
-
Vance’s second biggest battle is overcoming political history, which statistically does not favor incumbent vice presidents’ chances of winning the White House.—
Verb
-
During his time in Australia so far, Yungblud also bared it all on a nude yacht outing with friends in Sydney Harbour, according to photos published by TMZ.—
-
It’s made from a lightweight, water-repellent material that’ll keep you comfortable amid any kind of outing this winter.—
Verb
-
There were some frightening moments early Monday for a Miramar man after police say he was pistol whipped during a home invasion and his French bulldog was stolen.—
-
Or whips around his defender in a bold pirouette.—
Verb
-
Investigators later determined that a gray Dodge Charger began chasing the Toyota at a high rate of speed.—
-
Tech companies have also been chasing the next big product following the smartphone and think AI could be key to finding it.—
Verb
-
Medieval Europeans moved to England consistently A press release by the University of Cambridge continued that researchers studied more than 700 chemical signatures from the teeth of people buried in England between AD 400 and 1100.—
-
He will be cremated, with his ashes buried next to his parents in Joliet, Osborne said.—
Verb
-
Fire Rescue said one person was ejected in the collision and airlifted to a trauma center.—
-
Georgia's biggest issue came in the first half when 6-11 center Somto Cyril was ejected for throwing a forearm into Florida's Rueben Chinyelu.—
Verb
-
Fighter jets bombed strategic targets in Panama City and Colón, while ground forces dismantled the Panamanian Defense Forces.—
-
If Venezuela and its region instead spiral into chaos and suffering, Trump will merely look like a bully, a president who cowers when facing the mighty — in Moscow or Beijing, say — but bombs those who can’t return fire, whether in Nigeria, Yemen or Venezuela.—
Verb
-
The Traitors murder the Faithful one by one each night in secret, while the Faithful try to uncover the Traitors and banish them from the game.—
-
But there is more murdering and banishing to come.—
Cite this Entry
“Rout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rout. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share