adj C1 Advanced

monotonous

muh-NO-tuh-nuhs

Monotonous (adj) means Tediously repetitive or lacking variety. Example: “The factory job involved monotonous, repetitive tasks all day.”

adj

Tediously repetitive or lacking variety.

"The factory job involved monotonous, repetitive tasks all day."

"His monotonous lecture put half the class to sleep."

How to use monotonous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishBoring because it repeats the same thing over and over without change.

Common pairings

a monotonous routine monotonous work

Word forms

more monotonous comparative, most monotonous superlative

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The factory job involved _____, repetitive tasks all day.

Etymology

From "monotone" plus the adjective-forming suffix "-ous."

Rhymes for monotonous

yous nous pious joyous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous tedious spurious

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Frequently asked questions

What does “monotonous” mean?

The word “monotonous” means tediously repetitive or lacking variety. In plain terms, boring because it repeats the same thing over and over without change.

How do you pronounce “monotonous”?

“Monotonous” is pronounced muh-NO-tuh-nuhs (/məˈnɑtənəs/ in IPA).

How do you use “monotonous” in a sentence?

Here is “monotonous” used in a sentence: “The factory job involved monotonous, repetitive tasks all day.”

What part of speech is “monotonous”?

“Monotonous” is an adjective.

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