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
Examples of tepid in a Sentence
He gave a tepid performance.
My suggestion was given a tepid response.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yes, 2023 was a tepid year for California’s business climate.
—
Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
Raja Feather Kelly fills Riccardo Hernández’s striking stage design, with its nods to Lempicka’s industrial skyscrapers, with tepid, rote choreography.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tepid 
Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
Raja Feather Kelly fills Riccardo Hernández’s striking stage design, with its nods to Lempicka’s industrial skyscrapers, with tepid, rote choreography.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tepid
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tepid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tepid
Cite this Entry
“Tepid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tepid. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tepid
adjective
tep·id
ˈtep-əd 
1
: lukewarm
a tepid bath
2
: lacking enthusiasm or conviction : halfhearted
a tepid response
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