as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest
the characterizations are good, but the plot is just ho-hum
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ho-hum
Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
In any season, the mall brand’s clothes are reliably on-point, but its range of sweaters, jeans, boots, and dresses has inspired me to revamp my ho-hum winter wardrobe.
—Cheryl Wagemann, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
Bill Field, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2025
Depending on whether the context is stable (everyday ho hum) or unstable (e.g., COVID-19; tariff wars; geopolitical instability etc.), the cues that get signalled and the way leaders signal these messages change.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ho-hum
Adjective
The January jobs report is due out next Friday, with analysts forecasting another ho-hum 50,000 job gains.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
In any season, the mall brand’s clothes are reliably on-point, but its range of sweaters, jeans, boots, and dresses has inspired me to revamp my ho-hum winter wardrobe.
—Cheryl Wagemann, InStyle, 9 Jan. 2026
Interjection
The distinction between being unique and ho hum is as thin as the crust.
—Bill Field, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2025
Depending on whether the context is stable (everyday ho hum) or unstable (e.g., COVID-19; tariff wars; geopolitical instability etc.), the cues that get signalled and the way leaders signal these messages change.
—Ellen Choi, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ho-hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ho-hum
Adjective
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Mann might have argued that there is not only a moral but also an artistic virtue in being outwardly boring and banal.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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More so, mines are too boring to compete for budget.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Experiencing that life cycle of knowing where my food comes from and watching my uncles do the butchering and then eating it the same day through slow roasting was really impactful for me as a kid.—
Claire Salinda,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Perhaps both movements could have animated each other; perhaps the subsequent fight for women’s suffrage would have been less sporadic and slow.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And adopting the mantle of cultural curmudgeon can get tiring.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
11 Mar. 2026
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Riko Ueki headed Japan's opening goal, her fourth of the tournament, before Maika Hamano, Aoba Fujino and Kiko Seike all scored against a tiring Vietnamese defense.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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All other presentation apps seem dull and dated.—
Edward Mendelson,
PC Magazine,
19 Mar. 2026
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Glossing 5-Min Lamination Mask This mask became an instant winter-hair hero for me, helping to revive my dried-out, dull lengths with each use.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Of all the live-action shows made by Adult Swim, Three Busy Debras is the most cartoonish; its world is as elastic and stupid as any Chuck Jones Looney Tunes joint.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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Anyone who says anything else is stupid or lying.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Interjection
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The new iPad Pro marks the point midway between the way things were (Bezel? Yuck!) and the way they soon will be (Nothing but screen.—
David Pierce,
WIRED,
12 June 2017
Adjective
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In the United States, the actor played secondary roles, usually weary, nervy authority figures, such as the stern mentor (Good Will Hunting) and the persnickety scientist (Deep Blue Sea).—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
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Wolf packs on the hunt encircled their prey—typically elk—clamping at the jugular when their target grew weary from the chase.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Blume would shower with her father and her older brother, David.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
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The funeral prayer for the 41-year-old Afghan father of six who died Saturday in ICE custody was held Tuesday while more questions arise about why he was picked up and what caused his death less than a day later.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ho-hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ho-hum. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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