lukewarm

adjective

luke·​warm ˈlük-ˈwȯrm 

1

: moderately warm : tepid

a lukewarm bath

lukewarm coffee

2

: lacking conviction : half-hearted

gave them only lukewarm support

a lukewarm review

lukewarm applause

lukewarmly adverb

lukewarmness noun

Synonyms of lukewarm

• warm
• warmed
• heated
• tepid
• boiling

Examples of lukewarm in a Sentence

I hate drinking lukewarm coffee.

Our plan got a lukewarm reception.

The producer was lukewarm about her script.

Recent Examples on the Web

Salesforce ‘s lukewarm fourth-quarter results left a sour taste in analysts’ mouths and will do little to stem the software giant’s year-to-date sell-off. —Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026

Perfect serving size, too, where they are gobbled down before morphing back into plain, lukewarm potato slivers. —Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026

Start by washing your hands and running your glasses under lukewarm water. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2026

The queso started fine but eventually congealed into something that approximated lukewarm paste. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from luke lukewarm + warm; probably akin to Old High German lāo lukewarm — more at lee

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lukewarm

• chloroform
• coliform
• cribriform
• cruciform
• filiform
• fusiform
• isoform
• microform
• multiform
• multiforme
• outperform
• piriform

Kids Definition

lukewarm

adjective

luke·​warm ˈlü-ˈkwȯ(ə)rm 

1

: mildly warm : tepid

a lukewarm bath

2

: not enthusiastic : indifferent

our plan got a lukewarm reception

lukewarmly adverb

lukewarmness noun