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humdrum 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhəm-ˌdrəm How to pronounce humdrum (audio)
Definition of humdrumnext
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest she leads a humdrum life that will never be made into a major motion picture a humdrum meal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

humdrum

2 of 2

noun

as in monotony
a tedious lack of variety loathed the humdrum of daily life in a small town

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of humdrum
Adjective
Keep a jar of this Parmesan-herb vinaigrette in your fridge for salads or to make a humdrum turkey or salami sandwich taste like one from your neighborhood deli. — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 26 June 2026 Occasionally, Profound plays like the soundtrack for a humdrum indie-comedy set in a beautiful, remote location. — Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026
Noun
Some genuinely funny moments emerge from the collision of Hollywood humdrum and superhero absurdity, as if The Studio had been folded lightly into the MCU, a sensibility that reflects Guest’s comedy pedigree on Community and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2026 There may be an alchemy of inspiration, but writing itself is done in the humdrum of deleting a sentence or rearranging a line, of careful research and editing. — Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for humdrum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for humdrum
  1. boring
  2. monotony
  3. tiring
  4. boredom
  5. dull
  6. monotone
  7. slow
  8. weary
Adjective
  • As a matter of fact, this will probably be one of the more boring editions of this column.
    — Gary Davenport, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Alice’s viewpoint is boring, and anyone who agonizes about it forever will never get to the interesting parts.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of boring
Noun
  • The Chicago Bears battled injuries, monotony and each other during the offseason, but several important storylines loom heading into the opener against the Carolina Panthers.
    — Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The monotony of waiting While the jury is deliberating, dozens of journalists and attendees are pushed out of the courtroom gallery and into the third-floor hallway.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of monotony
Adjective
  • Soreness began settling in, and Mincey taught us a technique for safely walking on locked knees to spare our tiring muscles, which got us through the steep and gravelly hike.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But keeping that up can be a tiring proposition once a Grand Slam rolls around.
    — Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tiring
Noun
  • Conversely, if the term is meant as an insult, then a critic should describe the underlying mechanisms which produce the boredom in question.
    — Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • While stereotypes focus on tragedy and horror, Rosales reorients our gaze, revealing moments of tenderness and boredom, rest and joy.
    — Myriam Gurba, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of boredom
Adjective
  • Coach Sean McVay’s strategy of arriving the day before the game backfired and resulted in a dull performance by a team featuring some of the NFL’s biggest stars.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • If Khrzhanovsky’s goal was re-creating social and cultural conditions to capture drama at its purest, then the result merely proves Hitchcock’s refrain that drama is life with dull bits cut out.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of dull
Noun
  • Bret is played by Igby Rigney, whose distant, sneery monotone recalls the voice of the real-life Ellis.
    — Leo Lasdun, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Monochrome styling is having its moment, but sticking to one color scheme doesn’t have to read monotone.
    — Staff Author, InStyle, 19 June 2026
Definition of monotone
Adjective
  • Complex carbs with fiber slow digestion and sugar absorption, while protein and fat further delay digestion, helping to stabilize blood sugar.
    — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Longer messages mean slower communication, so people who study error-correcting codes devise more elaborate schemes to minimize the redundancy in the transmissions while maximizing the number of errors that can be corrected.
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • But the image that emerges here is of an already war-weary, fragile and poor country being pushed ever closer to a breaking point.
    — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
  • In war-weary Lebanon, Israeli strikes have intensified in response to Hezbollah drone attacks.
    — Suzan Haidamous, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of weary

Browse Nearby Words

humdingers
humdrum
humid
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Cite this Entry

“Humdrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humdrum. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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