tedium
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of tedium
First recorded in 1655–65, tedium is from the Latin word taedium
Explanation
Tedium is the state of being really bored while doing something repetitive. You may loathe the tedium of eating dinner with the family — after all, what is more boring than talking to mom and dad, especially if you could be texting friends? The noun tedium comes from the Latin root word taedere, meaning "to weary of," and that's still what tedium means today: bored and weary of it all. The noun can also mean a tedious period of time — school concerts and assemblies are always two hours of tedium. Tedious is a related adjective form of the word. In order to relieve the tedium of homework, you should pick less tedious tasks, try fencing or painting to add some excitement to the day.
Vocabulary lists containing tedium
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But in the real world, engaged in the daily tedium of commuting, the SS’s straight-line superlatives amount to little.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Artificial intelligence could cut the time and tedium of preparing your 2025 tax return.
From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026
I live in the foothills where bear, bobcat and mountain lion sightings break up the tedium of coyote and raccoon encounters.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2025
This tedium is less than ideal for most lifestyles, and it’s why study after study shows budgets to be unhelpful and unsustainable.
From Salon • May 24, 2025
Over the years life on Orchard Street passed with a tedium that eventually congealed into comfort.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
