Dictionary

blandness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ble̞ːnd̚.nəs] (Australia)
• (US) audio
• /ˈblændˌnɪs/
• /ˈblæːndˌnəs/ (Australia)

Etymology

Etymology tree English bland Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English blandness From bland + -ness.

Meanings

1. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) The state, quality, or characteristic of being bland. ▸ Mildness, gentleness.
   • These temporary apprehensions, so vague but so awful, derived a wondrous potency from the contrasting serenity of the weather, in which, beneath all its blue blandness, some thought there lurked a devilish charm, as for days and days we voyaged along, through seas so wearily, lonesomely mild, that all space, in repugnance to our vengeful errand, seemed vacating itself of life before our urn-like prow. 1851, Herman Melville, Moby Dick:
2. (countable, uncountable) The state, quality, or characteristic of being bland. ▸ Lack of taste or flavor.
3. (countable, uncountable) The state, quality, or characteristic of being bland. ▸ Lack of interest or appeal.
   • But generally, these summits have been real snoozers, producing statements of such vague blandness that they make G-20 resolutions read like Harry Potter page-turners. 2011 April 14, Michael Schuman, “Do the BRICS believe in free markets?”, in Time, archived from the original on 17 Jan 2025:

Forms

Synonyms

flavorlessness · dullness · insipidness

Translations (21)

pt insipidez (lack of interest or appeal) · fr insipidité (lack of interest or appeal) · ca insipiditat (lack of taste or flavor) · ca insipidesa (lack of taste or flavor) · ota یاوانلق (lack of taste or flavor) · fi latteus (lack of interest or appeal) · it insipidezza (lack of taste or flavor) · ota طاتسزلق (lack of taste or flavor) · gl insipidez (lack of taste or flavor) · it insipidezza (lack of interest or appeal) · ota لذتسزلك (lack of taste or flavor) · pt insipidez (lack of taste or flavor) · es insipidez (lack of taste or flavor) · pl bezpłciowość (lack of interest or appeal) · pl bezbarwność (lack of interest or appeal) · gl insipidez (lack of interest or appeal) · fr insipidité (lack of taste or flavor) · es sinsabor (lack of taste or flavor) · es insipidez (lack of interest or appeal) · pl nijakość (lack of interest or appeal) · fi mauttomuus (lack of taste or flavor)