adjective
humdrum
HUHMD-ruhm
Humdrum (adjective) means Dull, monotonous, and lacking excitement. Example: “He was tired of his humdrum office job.”
adjective
1
Dull, monotonous, and lacking excitement.
"He suggested cusk, because he knew they would have it. She had never heard of cusk. “Doesn't it sound exotic!” she said. “Exotic indeed!” he laughed, and almost told her what a humdrum fish it really was, but stopped himself."
— Lucy Honig, The Truly Needy And Other Stories (1999)
"He was tired of his humdrum office job."
"Life in the small town felt humdrum after living in the city."
How to use humdrum
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBoring and repetitive, with nothing exciting happening.
Common pairings
humdrum routine
humdrum life
humdrum existence
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Word forms
- Plural
- humdrums
- Comparative
- more humdrum
- Superlative
- most humdrum
Fill the gap
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He was tired of his _____ office job.
Etymology
Likely a rhyming repetition based on hum, dating to the 1500s.
Class of 1500
humdrum joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “humdrum” mean?
The word “humdrum” means dull, monotonous, and lacking excitement. In plain terms, boring and repetitive, with nothing exciting happening.
How do you pronounce “humdrum”?
“Humdrum” is pronounced HUHMD-ruhm (/ˈhʌmdɹʌm/ in IPA).
How do you use “humdrum” in a sentence?
Here is “humdrum” used in a sentence: “He was tired of his humdrum office job.”
What part of speech is “humdrum”?
“Humdrum” is an adjective.
Where does the word “humdrum” come from?
The word “humdrum” dates back to around 1500. Likely a rhyming repetition based on hum, dating to the 1500s.
