in a rut

Idioms  

1. In a settled or established habit or course of action, especially a boring one. For example, We go to the seashore every summer—we're in a rut, or After ten years at the same job she says she's in a rut. This expression alludes to having a wheel stuck in a groove in the road. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in a rut

Lennar fell 4.7% after the homebuilder’s second-quarter revenue missed Wall Street’s expectations, signaling that the housing market is still in a rut.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

The club is in a rut in that regard.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

The chip maker’s stock has been in a rut in recent months as investors worry about the sustainability of AI spending by hyperscalers.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026

The U.S. housing market has been stuck in a rut over the past few years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026

The cars were in a big cluster, parked at odd angles, some with their tires in a rut, some without tires at all.

From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez

Related Words

• ended
• established
• resolved