groove

1 of 2

noun

ˈgrüv 

1

: a long narrow channel or depression

2

a

: a fixed routine : rut

b

: a situation suited to one's abilities or interests : niche

3

: top form

a great talker when he is in the groove

4

: the middle of the strike zone in baseball where a pitch is most easily hit

a fastball right in the groove

5

: an enjoyable or exciting experience

6

: a pronounced enjoyable rhythm

groove

2 of 2

verb

grooved; grooving

transitive verb

1

a

: to make a groove in

b

: to join by a groove

2

: to perfect by repeated practice

grooved her golf swing

3

: to throw (a pitch) in the groove

intransitive verb

1

: to become joined or fitted by a groove

2

: to form a groove

3

: to enjoy oneself intensely

4

: to interact harmoniously

contemporary minds and rock groove together

—Benjamin DeMott

groover noun

Synonyms

Noun

• drill
• grind
• lockstep
• pattern
• rote
• routine
• rut
• treadmill

Verb

• score
• scribe
• seam

Examples of groove in a Sentence

Noun

the grooves on a vinyl record

The door slides along a groove in the doorframe.

He's a great pitcher when he's in a groove.

She hasn't yet found her groove.

They've gotten stuck in a groove in their jobs.

Verb

We grooved to the beat.

if you groove that piece of wood, we should be able to fit this smaller board into it

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On the other, what’s worked out at the piano, one’s cigarette scoring a groove in the lid of the upright. —E.l. Doctorow, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025

An examination of the engravings under a laser microscope found grooves that looked like they were made by flint tools. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024

Verb

Check out this comic's step-by-step guide with advice from experts on how to move and groove with confidence. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 20 Dec. 2024

Stiller’s moving and grooving and drifting in his SUV throughout the video before eventually taking off into the night. —Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English grove pit, cave, from Middle Dutch groeve; akin to Old High German gruoba pit, cave, Old English grafan to dig — more at grave entry 5

First Known Use

Noun

1659, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1686, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing groove

• tongue and groove

Kids Definition

groove

1 of 2 noun

ˈgrüv 

1

: a long narrow channel made in a surface

2

: a fixed routine : rut

3

: top form

groove

2 of 2 verb

grooved; grooving

1

a

: to form a groove in

b

: to become grooved

2

: to enjoy very much

Medical Definition

groove

noun

ˈgrüv 

: a long narrow depression occurring naturally on the surface of an organism or an anatomical part