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rut

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɹət// UK //ɹˈʌt// rut Archaic Slang

n. a boring situation where you do the same things every day and cannot change. You feel stuck because your life or work has become a habit that is hard to break.

n. a fixed, habitual, and often tedious way of life or course of action. Frequently used in the phrase 'in a rut' to describe a lack of progress or variety.


SIMPLE

I feel like I am in a rut at work.

CONTEXTUAL

After five years in the same entry-level position, she felt she was in a rut and decided to apply for a degree.

COMPLEX

The creative team fell into a predictable rut, churning out derivative designs that failed to capture the innovative spirit of their earlier, more experimental collections.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English rutte (noun) and rutten (verb), from Old French rut (“noise, roar, bellowing”), from Latin rugītus, from rugīre (“to roar”).

Etymology 2

Probably from Middle English route, from Middle French route (“road”), from Old French route. See also rutter.

Usage

Commonly appears in the idiomatic expression 'in a rut' or 'get into a rut'.

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