HUMDRUM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does humdrum mean? 

• HUMDRUM (noun)
  The noun HUMDRUM has 1 sense:

1. the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety

  Familiarity information: HUMDRUM used as a noun is very rare.

• HUMDRUM (adjective)
  The adjective HUMDRUM has 2 senses:

1. not challenging; dull and lacking excitement

2. tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

  Familiarity information: HUMDRUM used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HUMDRUM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

humdrum; monotony; sameness

Context example:

he hated the sameness of the food the college served

Hypernyms ("humdrum" is a kind of...):

unvariedness (characterized by an absence of variation)

• HUMDRUM (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not challenging; dull and lacking excitement

Synonyms:

commonplace; humdrum; prosaic; unglamorous; unglamourous

Context example:

an unglamorous job greasing engines

Similar:

unexciting (not exciting)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

Synonyms:

humdrum; monotonous

Context example:

nothing is so monotonous as the sea

Similar:

dull (lacking in liveliness or animation)

 Context examples 

Eclipses are major events—they are dress-up affairs—and nothing is humdrum or usual at eclipse time as events tend to carry important weight and meaning.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Poor Jo, these were dark days to her, for something like despair came over her when she thought of spending all her life in that quiet house, devoted to humdrum cares, a few small pleasures, and the duty that never seemed to grow any easier.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)