Definition

Noun: 1. The state of feeling weary and uninterested because one is unoccupied or because the current activity is dull and repetitive. This is the primary meaning, describing a psychological and emotional state of disengagement and lack of stimulation. 2. The quality of being tedious, monotonous, or causing such a state of weariness. This meaning refers to the characteristic of an activity, situation, or thing that induces the feeling of boredom.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The long lecture was filled with an overwhelming sense of boredom.
  • She tried to fight off the boredom of a rainy afternoon by reading a book.
  • His job involves repetitive tasks that lead to immense boredom.

Advanced Usage

• "to die of boredom": An exaggerated, informal expression meaning to be extremely bored.
  • I thought I would die of boredom waiting in that line.
• "a cry of boredom": A vocal expression or complaint stemming from a feeling of boredom.
  • The child's sigh was a clear cry of boredom.

Variants and Related Words

• Bore (verb): To cause someone to feel weary and uninterested.
  • The movie bored the audience.
• Bore (noun): A person or thing that causes boredom.
  • He can be such a bore at parties.
• Boring (adjective): Not interesting; tedious.
  • It was a boring meeting.
• Bored (adjective): Feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity.
  • The students looked bored.

Synonyms

• Tedium: The state of being tedious.
• Monotony: Lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine.
• Ennui: A feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement (a more literary term).
• Weariness: A feeling of tiredness or lack of interest.

Antonyms

• Interest
• Engagement
• Excitement
• Stimulation

Related Idioms

• "Bored out of one's mind / skull": An informal, emphatic idiom meaning to be extremely bored.
  • I was stuck in traffic for two hours and was bored out of my mind.
• "Bored stiff": Another informal idiom meaning to be very bored.
  • The children were bored stiff during the long car ride.

Noun

1. the feeling of being bored by something tedious