humdrum en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˈhʌmdɹʌm/
- (US) audio
Etymology
Sound-symbolic, possible reduplication of hum, 1550s.
Meanings
-
Lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring.
In the valley there would have been feasting and celebration, and then dancing at the wedding, and afterwards the turmoil of a brief romance turning to humdrum married life, the cares of her house, the cares of children, anxiety, fret, illness, trouble, the day-by-day routine of growing old.
1952, Daphne Du Maurier, “Monte Verità”, in The Apple Tree:He suggested cusk, because he knew they would have it. She had never heard of cusk. “Doesn't it sound exotic!” she said. “Exotic indeed!” he laughed, and almost told her what a humdrum fish it really was, but stopped himself.
1999, Lucy Honig, The Truly Needy And Other Stories, University of Pittsburgh Press, →ISBN, page 89:With that kind of line-up it was probably inevitable that there would be a few spells when England looked what they were: a team that was trying to find some rhythm, unbeaten for eight years in humdrum qualifying groups but still not entirely sure about whether that makes them any good.
2017 November 10, Daniel Taylor, “Youthful England earn draw with Germany but Lingard rues late miss”, in The Guardian (London):
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more humdrum | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most humdrum | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Deriveds
humdrumness · humdrumly · humdrummery
Synonyms
vapid · lifeless · lame · colourless · languid · wooden · drowsy · longsome · uninteresting · dreich · ho-hum · flat · dull · humdrum · basic · bland · pedestrian · vanilla · banal · beat · boring · cold · lackluster · mundane · no fun at parties · pedantic · commonplace · dull as dishwater · stuffy · heavy going · prosaic · insipid · mindless · wan · blah · prosy · tedious · monotonous · uncool · weaksauce · plodding · plain · stodgy · corny · drab · snoozeworthy · static · straightforward · soporific
Translations (57)
es aburrido (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · cs fádní (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · bg скучен (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · nl slaapverwekkend (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · es soso (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · hu sivár (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de monoton (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ru ску́чный (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · cmn 無聊的 /无聊的 (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · es tedioso (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · he שגרתי (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · bg монотонен (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · oc anugivol (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · nl vervelend (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · bg блудкав (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de abgestumpft (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de trist (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · yue 乏味嘅 (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · bg прозаичен (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · nl eentonig (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · cmn 單調乏味的 /单调乏味的 (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · fr monotone (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · bg банален (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · oc anujós (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · fr embétant (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · he משעמם (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · yue 刻板嘅 (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · pl monotonny (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · bg еднообразен (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de einförmig (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · vi buồn tẻ (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de eintönig (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · hu unalmas (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · fi yksitoikkoinen (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ca tediós (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · vi nhàm chán (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · cs nudný (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · yue 單調嘅 /单调嘅 (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de dröge (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de gleichförmig (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ca avorrit (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · oc anugiu (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · hu egyhangú (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ru бу́дничный (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ru бана́льный (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ru однообра́зный (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · pl nudny (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ru моното́нный (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · fr ennuyeux (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · fi tapahtumaköyhä (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · cs jednotvárný (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · ru прозаи́чный (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · fr soporifique (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · de langweilig (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · nl saai (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · mi mākihakiha (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring) · pl prozaiczny (lacking variety or excitement; dull; boring)