What does “rout” mean?
- 1
nouna complete defeat, or a disorderly retreat after a defeat
The match ended in a 6–0 rout.
- 2
verbto defeat an opponent completely
The home team routed their rivals.
Rout at a glance
- Part of speech
- noun & verb
- CEFR level
- C2 (proficient)
- Pronunciation
- /raʊt/ · ROWT
How to use “rout” correctly
Rhymes with “out”, so don’t confuse it with “route” (ROOT or ROWT, a way to go).
Common phrases with “rout”
- a complete rout
- rout the enemy
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- crushing defeat
- thrash
- overwhelm
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- victory
“rout” is on these word lists
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