Humdrum: meaning, definitions and examples

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humdrum

 

[ หˆhสŒm.drสŒm ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

everyday life

Humdrum describes a sense of monotony or dullness that characterizes certain aspects of life or work. It is often used to refer to situations that lack excitement or variety, making them feel tedious or uninteresting. The term suggests a familiarity that can lead to boredom due to a repetitive nature. While humdrum can apply to various contexts, it typically relates to routines or ordinary experiences.

Synonyms

dreary, monotonous, mundane, tedious

Examples of usage

  • The humdrum routine of daily work made him feel unmotivated.
  • She craved adventure to escape her humdrum existence.
  • The film was criticized for its humdrum storyline.

Translations

Translations of the word "humdrum" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น monรณtono

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เค‰เคฌเคพเคŠ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช eintรถnig

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ monoton

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฝัƒะดะฝะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ monotonny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ้€€ๅฑˆใช

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท ennuyeux

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ monรณtono

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sฤฑkฤฑcฤฑ

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋‹จ์กฐ๋กœ์šด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู…ู…ู„

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ monotonnรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ monotรณnny

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ•่ฐƒ็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ monotono

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ einstrengdur

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฑั–ั€ะบะตะปะบั–

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ›แƒแƒœแƒแƒขแƒแƒœแƒฃแƒ แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ monoton

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ monรณtono

Etymology

The term 'humdrum' emerged in the English language during the late 19th century. It is believed to be a combination of 'hum,' which can denote a low continuous sound, reflecting a background noise, and 'drum,' which suggests a repetitiveness or rhythmic quality. The word thus evokes a sense of monotony, akin to a repetitive drumming sound. It captured the essence of life that feels stagnant and lacking in excitement. As it became more popular, 'humdrum' began to apply more broadly to describe any aspect of life that is uninteresting or lacks animation. The term's usage reflects cultural sentiments about the search for meaning and stimulation in a world that can often feel monotonous.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,598, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.