tepid

adjective

tep·​id ˈte-pəd 

1

: moderately warm : lukewarm

a tepid bath

2

a

: lacking in passion, force, or zest

tepid poetry

b

: marked by an absence of enthusiasm or conviction

a tepid interest

a tepid response

tepidity

tə-ˈpi-də-tē 

te-

noun

tepidly

ˈte-pəd-lē 

adverb

tepidness noun

Synonyms

• halfhearted
• lukewarm
• uneager
• unenthusiastic

Examples of tepid in a Sentence

He gave a tepid performance.

My suggestion was given a tepid response.

Recent Examples on the Web

The 22-year-old left-handed hitter has been a bright spot during the Nationals’ tepid 12-15 start. —John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025

Considering the tepid reaction on Friday from the clubs when asked about their participation, this remains a big TBD. —Meg Linehan, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025

However, the strategists cautioned that investors could see three to six months for tepid returns. —Chloe Taylor,ganesh Rao, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025

The company’s truckload segment saw a tepid 2 percent increase in load volume, with the unit’s revenue per load falling 6 percent from the year prior. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English teped, from Latin tepidus, from tepēre to be moderately warm; akin to Sanskrit tapati it heats, Old Irish tess heat

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tepid

• intrepid

Kids Definition

tepid

adjective

tep·​id ˈtep-əd 

1

: lukewarm

a tepid bath

2

: lacking enthusiasm or conviction : halfhearted

a tepid response