: the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest
the boredom of a long car trip
Synonyms
Examples of boredom in a Sentence
On days when few customers came to shop, Bob felt overwhelmed by boredom.
the boredom of a long car trip
Recent Examples on the Web
The work was a bizarre mixture of utter boredom (fly-fishing data transfer) and exhilaration.
—
Ben Lerner, Harper's Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
All participants agreed to abstain from social media for one week and respond to a set of daily questions assessing their loneliness, boredom, sadness, happiness, and feelings about social media.
—Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 8 Nov. 2023
Tended to by an unseen babysitter, whose goofy boyfriend appears in the video instead, the teenager channels her vague sense of loneliness — and clear boredom — into frivolity.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2023
Some retirees have returned to work, due to the need for another income stream or out of boredom.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023
The former Tesla engineer was born in Albania under a totalitarian communist regime, and credits boredom with helping to spark a curiosity for knowledge (even the slow internet speeds in her native country couldn’t stop her from tinkering with computers).
—Joseph Abrams, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2023
Bringing activity-specific gear, such as paddleboards and kayaks, or other entertainment like card games and books, can help fend off boredom on longer trips.
—Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023
Calvin and Elizabeth's neighbor Harriet, for instance, is no longer a nosy neighbor spying on Elizabeth out of boredom.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 13 Oct. 2023
According to Ament, this batch of tunes was created out of pure boredom during the pandemic as he and Wicks were hunkered down in their respective residences in Montana.
—Kelli Skye Fadroski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2023
See More
Ben Lerner, Harper's Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
All participants agreed to abstain from social media for one week and respond to a set of daily questions assessing their loneliness, boredom, sadness, happiness, and feelings about social media.
—Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 8 Nov. 2023
Tended to by an unseen babysitter, whose goofy boyfriend appears in the video instead, the teenager channels her vague sense of loneliness — and clear boredom — into frivolity.
—Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2023
Some retirees have returned to work, due to the need for another income stream or out of boredom.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2023
The former Tesla engineer was born in Albania under a totalitarian communist regime, and credits boredom with helping to spark a curiosity for knowledge (even the slow internet speeds in her native country couldn’t stop her from tinkering with computers).
—Joseph Abrams, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2023
Bringing activity-specific gear, such as paddleboards and kayaks, or other entertainment like card games and books, can help fend off boredom on longer trips.
—Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 20 Sep. 2023
Calvin and Elizabeth's neighbor Harriet, for instance, is no longer a nosy neighbor spying on Elizabeth out of boredom.
—Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 13 Oct. 2023
According to Ament, this batch of tunes was created out of pure boredom during the pandemic as he and Wicks were hunkered down in their respective residences in Montana.
—Kelli Skye Fadroski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boredom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1853, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near boredom
Cite this Entry
“Boredom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boredom. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
boredom
noun
bore·dom
ˈbō(ə)rd-əm 
ˈbȯ(ə)rd-
: the state of being bored
More from Merriam-Webster on boredom
Nglish: Translation of boredom for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boredom
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