Monotony: meaning, definitions and examples

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monotony

 

[ məˈnɑːt(ə)ni ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in daily life

The quality or state of lacking variation or excitement; a tedious sameness.

Synonyms

boredom, sameness, tedium, uniformity.

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Word Description / Examples
monotony

Describes a situation or feeling where there is a lack of variety, leading to dullness. Commonly used to talk about routine tasks or jobs that become tiresome due to repetition.

  • The monotony of the daily commute can be exhausting.
  • She felt trapped in the monotony of her office work.
tedium

Focuses on the quality of being tiresome or monotonous over a long period. Often used for prolonged tasks or periods of inactivity.

  • The tedium of sorting through paperwork made her eyes glaze over.
  • He dreaded the tedium of long meetings.
boredom

Refers to the feeling of being uninterested or lacking in excitement. Often used when someone has nothing engaging to do.

  • He tried to fight the boredom by reading a book.
  • Saturday afternoons were usually filled with boredom.
sameness

Highlights the uniformity and lack of variety in a situation, making it dull. Used to emphasize the lack of change or difference.

  • The sameness of the menu every day made eating there unappealing.
  • There was a certain sameness to the houses in the new development.
uniformity

Describes the state of being uniform, consistent, and without variation. Used to talk about consistency, often with a slight negative connotation when it implies lack of originality.

  • There was a strict uniformity in their approach to problem-solving.
  • The village had a uniformity in architectural style.

Examples of usage

  • His daily routine had become a source of monotony.
  • She craved excitement to break the monotony of her life.
Context #2 | Noun

in music

A repeated note, phrase, or rhythm.

Synonyms

consistency, repetition, uniformity.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
monotony

Use this word to describe something that is dull, lacking variety, and can be boring due to repetition. It often has a negative connotation.

  • The monotony of his daily routine made him crave for some excitement.
  • She couldn't stand the monotony of the same music playing over and over.
repetition

This word is generally neutral and can be used both positively and negatively. It refers to the act of repeating something, which can be useful for practice or learning, but also can be tedious.

  • Language learning often involves the repetition of words and phrases.
  • The endless repetition of the same task made the job tiresome.
uniformity

This word is used to describe things that are exactly the same or very similar in appearance, form, or order. It can be both positive and negative depending on the context.

  • The uniformity of the soldiers' movements was impressive during the parade.
  • Critics argue that such strict uniformity stifles creativity and individual expression.
consistency

This word is used when describing something that remains the same over time, often seen in a positive light, especially when reliability or stability is important.

  • The consistency of her work is what makes her such a valued employee.
  • For best results, the recipe requires consistency in following the steps.

Examples of usage

  • The song had a soothing monotony to it.
  • The monotony of the drum beat created a hypnotic effect.

Translations

Translations of the word "monotony" in other languages:

🇵🇹 monotonia

🇮🇳 एकरसता

🇩🇪 Monotonie

🇮🇩 monotoni

🇺🇦 монотонність

🇵🇱 monotonia

🇯🇵 単調さ

🇫🇷 monotonie

🇪🇸 monotonía

🇹🇷 tekdüzelik

🇰🇷 단조로움

🇸🇦 رتابة

🇨🇿 monotónnost

🇸🇰 monotónnosť

🇨🇳 单调

🇸🇮 monotonija

🇮🇸 einhæfni

🇰🇿 монотондық

🇬🇪 მონოტონურობა

🇦🇿 monotonluq

🇲🇽 monotonía

Etymology

The word 'monotony' originated from the Greek word 'monotonos', which means 'of one tone'. It first appeared in English in the early 17th century. The concept of monotony has been explored in various fields, from psychology to literature, highlighting the human tendency to seek variety and stimulation. In daily life, monotony can lead to feelings of boredom and lack of inspiration, while in music, it can create a sense of rhythm and repetition.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,091, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.