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

But unlike The Other Side of Heaven, Hathaway finds a moving emotional core to the character that gives this tepid Dickens adaptation some uplift amid a surprisingly flatlining ensemble (save for a one-eyed Jim Broadbent). —Chris Feil, Vulture, 1 May 2026

When the king talked about his Christian faith, GOP lawmakers were rowdier than Democrats, many of whom offered just tepid applause. —Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026

Among the seven companies that made adjustments for tariffs and disclosed the dollar impact, the numbers are significant and in some cases made the difference between tepid payouts and millions of dollars. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026

But the steps were too tepid for Republicans who dominate state government. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 29 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