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
Examples of tepid in a Sentence
He gave a tepid performance.
My suggestion was given a tepid response.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sweeney Bell had a tepid response, however, to a recent controversy in which dozens of local Democrats were kicked off the ballot for breaking an Indiana Democratic Party rule.
—
Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026
That effort has seen very tepid backing, though 22 countries have signed onto a statement expressing their willingness to help reopen the key waterway.
—Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 23 Mar. 2026
At the end of the day—but still four hours away from the end of their Fourth of July shift—Langdon's apology was tepid at best, ending in an argument that left Langdon and Santos at a bit of a standstill.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining in the same range of recent years despite a broadly tepid labor market.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tepid
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Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 26 Mar. 2026
That effort has seen very tepid backing, though 22 countries have signed onto a statement expressing their willingness to help reopen the key waterway.
—Zach Lachance, The Washington Examiner, 23 Mar. 2026
At the end of the day—but still four hours away from the end of their Fourth of July shift—Langdon's apology was tepid at best, ending in an argument that left Langdon and Santos at a bit of a standstill.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Applications for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining in the same range of recent years despite a broadly tepid labor market.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tepid
Cite this Entry
“Tepid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tepid. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tepid
adjective
tep·id
ˈtep-əd 
1
: lukewarm
a tepid bath
2
: lacking enthusiasm or conviction : halfhearted
a tepid response
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