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noun B1 Intermediate Uncommon

boredom

BAW-duhm

Boredom (noun) means the state of feeling uninterested and restless because there is nothing engaging to do. Example: “Pure boredom drove him to reorganize his entire sock drawer.”

noun
1
The state of feeling uninterested and restless because there is nothing engaging to do.
"Pure boredom drove him to reorganize his entire sock drawer."
"The long flight was marked by hours of boredom."

How to Use Boredom

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe feeling of having nothing interesting to occupy you.

Common pairings
out of boredom sheer boredom relieve the boredom

Word Forms

boredoms plural

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Pure _____ drove him to reorganize his entire sock drawer.

Etymology

From "bore" + "-dom," following the pattern of words like "freedom" and "wisdom."

ennui tedium

Related Words

Rhymes for boredom

See all rhymes for boredom →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “boredom” mean?

The word “boredom” means the state of feeling uninterested and restless because there is nothing engaging to do. In plain terms, the feeling of having nothing interesting to occupy you.

How do you pronounce “boredom”?

“Boredom” is pronounced BAW-duhm (/ˈbɔɹ.dəm/ in IPA).

How do you use “boredom” in a sentence?

Here is “boredom” used in a sentence: “Pure boredom drove him to reorganize his entire sock drawer.”

What part of speech is “boredom”?

“Boredom” is a noun.

Is “boredom” a common word?

“Boredom” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

Example Sentences

Real-world examples showing boredom in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.

Boredom is less an absence of things to do than an absence of anything that holds attention, which is why deliberately pointless websites cure it so well.
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