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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in monotony
a tedious lack of variety
loathed the humdrum of daily life in a small town
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Saveur Editors, Saveur, 15 Apr. 2026
While seemingly humdrum, seemingly insignificant activity like that which the intelligence officer said is taking place outside the Pentagon can yield valuable information.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
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
Adjective
Get the recipe > Transform humdrum cherry or grape tomatoes into flavor bombs by cooking them low and slow in the oven with maple syrup, thyme, and garlic.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 15 Apr. 2026
While seemingly humdrum, seemingly insignificant activity like that which the intelligence officer said is taking place outside the Pentagon can yield valuable information.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 Feb. 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
Adjective
-
Sometimes safe and boring can be a winning strategy.—
Nina Bambysheva,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
The cause can be something as simple as a lack of water or more complex, like fungal wilt diseases, tomato wilt viruses, walnut toxicity, or boring insects.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The tension latent in Jobim and Regina’s working relationship gives their rendition a mischievousness that’s sorely missed in the monotony of Art Garfunkel’s version, or the twee precision of Susannah McCorkle’s.—
Lily Goldberg,
Pitchfork,
13 June 2026
-
There’s never been a better time to escape the monotony of day-to-day life and venture out to an unexplored horizon.—
Jamie Spain,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The longtime Florida coach swapped a tiring McDonald for Russell Sandefer with one out in the top of the sixth inning.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 June 2026
-
By combining both the heated air flow of a blow dryer and a round brush in a single tool, this product is much simpler and less tiring to use than working with a separate hair dryer and round brush.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Studies on workplace boredom have linked chronic under-stimulation to lower job satisfaction, reduced mental health and increased turnover intentions.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Riesling took dance lessons elsewhere to relieve her boredom during the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing two face masks for the in-person instruction.—
Kevin McKeough,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Savage, a monotone leader, showed a single spec of emotion when asked about Cholowsky’s impact on the program.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
1 June 2026
-
Even when tasked to outfit the girls in monotone uniforms, the costume designer Shirley Kurata adds individuality with textures of sheers, cutouts and pleats.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Some war-weary Republicans were eager to endorse the agreement — if the fine print matches the administration’s summary.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
-
Quit Complaining Travel can be stressful, especially when airports swell with weary-eyed tourists who may be dealing with delays, cancellations, and lost luggage.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Humdrum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/humdrum. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
