tepid

1 of 2

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

tepidity

2 of 2

noun

te·​pid·​i·​ty tə̇ˈpidətē 

-dətē, 

-i

plural -es

: the quality or state of being tepid : lukewarmness

Synonyms of tepid

Adjective

• neutral
• lukewarm
• halfhearted
• unenthusiastic

Examples of tepid in a Sentence

Adjective

He gave a tepid performance.

My suggestion was given a tepid response.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But could Cruise use his movie star promotion power to get himself into the best-actor Oscar competition, despite the film suffering from tepid reviews and a possibly paltry box office? — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026

Trump’s tepid comments sharply contrast with his more fulsome displays of support for Netanyahu in the past. — Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

But the Wolverines' tepid performance didn't diminish Oklahoma coach Brent Venables' view of them. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026

Cheng Xin | Getty Images China's consumer and wholesale inflation rebounded in August, as higher global commodity costs and surging high-tech demand cushioned persistently tepid domestic consumption. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

Noun

Late Latin tepiditat-, tepiditas, from Latin tepidus tepid + -itat-, -itas -ity

First Known Use

Adjective

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