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 of tepid

• neutral
• lukewarm
• halfhearted
• 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 labor market is tepid, inflation is higher than the Fed would like, and the price of oil is spiking because of a war in the Middle East. —Kathryn Anne Edwards, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026

The tepid support raises the possibility that two Republicans in the race could place first and second in the June primary and advance to the general election. —Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026

Fill a glass or a vase with several inches of tepid water. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 8 Apr. 2026

After spending roughly $75,000 on product development and launching Body Mates in 2021, the duo abandoned the idea in 2023 following a tepid response from customers. —Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026

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