LUKEWARM Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

lukewarm

adjective

ˈlük-ˈwȯrm

Definition of lukewarm

as in warm

having or giving off heat to a moderate degree I left the bowl of soup sitting on the counter too long, and now it's lukewarm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in neutral

showing little or no interest or enthusiasm the dentist's lecture on the merits of flossing got only a lukewarm response

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 lukewarm Wall Street, which is accustomed to robust growth from Walmart, reacted swiftly to the lukewarm sales numbers, and the company’s stock plunged 9% Thursday. — Kayla Steinberg, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026 But other data indicate a more optimistic outlook for Republicans, showing voters hold a lukewarm view of the Democratic Party. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 19 Aug. 2026 The series received a lukewarm reception from critics and earned middling ratings upon its release, in August, 2005. — Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026 His first week was plagued by a pair of fumbles, and this week, which was Miami’s first in pads, has featured a couple of lukewarm days. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lukewarm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lukewarm

Adjective

Thanks to warm, dry and windy conditions, the fire — named Smokehouse Creek fire — rapidly spread, becoming the largest fire in Texas history.

— Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
At a little under two feet, the can’t-miss fixture spreads a warm light that creates a welcoming atmosphere for reading, relaxing, or sharing drinks without harsh overhead lighting or a spindly, corner-lurking, fluorescent presence.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of warm

Adjective

Witnesses had testified to the heated gang rivalry between the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, which were associated with dueling record companies Bad Boy Records and Death Row Records.

— Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Its Elite trim comes standard with features like a head-up display, heated and ventilated front seats and a seven-mode drive system including modes like Trail and Sand.

— Charles Singh, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of heated

Adjective

Watch On Despite containing a plot summary in its title and a tepid reception when it was released, director Andrew Dominik’s meditative film manages to be both suspenseful and insightful.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 21 Aug. 2026
After the demise of SB 10, lawmakers were tepid on pushing any cash bail reforms until a ruling in 2021 known as the Humphrey ruling.

— Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of tepid

Adjective

More humane methods of killing lobsters pre-boiling include a sharp knife through the head, electrical stunning, or freezing.

— semafor.com, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Agrawal and her team studied ionic liquids — salts that are liquid at sub-boiling temperatures (below 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius) — as a potential hospitable environment for life.

— Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Definition of boiling

Adjective

Some previous supporters remain unenthusiastic about another run for president.

— Juhi Doshi, ABC News, 8 June 2026
Ultimately the question is whether Hardy, Glasser and Butterworth can patch things up especially since Hardy was already unenthusiastic about returning for Season 3 due to his conflict with Butterworth.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 28 May 2026

Definition of unenthusiastic

Adjective

China saw little advantage, no matter which party came out ahead, and engaged in only sloppy, halfhearted online propaganda.

— David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
But when Kore-eda’s execution isn’t as assured, as is the case with his latest, all that delicacy simply floats off into the ether, rarely amounting to much more than a halfhearted shrug.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of halfhearted

Browse Nearby Words

lugubriously

lukewarm

lukewarmly

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lukewarm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lukewarm. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of lukewarm

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes