humdrum

/ˈhʌmdrʌm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhʌmdrʌm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhəm-ˌdrəm/ (ame, mw)

humdrum — adjective

  • humdrumpositive
  • more humdrumcomparative
  • most humdrumsuperlative

1. describes daily life or work that follows the same pattern over and over so that

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describes daily life or work that follows the same pattern over and over so that nothing interesting or new ever happens.

例句

Trang quit her humdrum office job to open a small bakery in Hanoi.

attributive: humdrum + noun (job)

After the long trip through Iceland, even washing the dishes felt humdrum.

predicative: subject + felt/seemed + humdrum

同義詞
  • monotonous

    stronger; stresses tiresome sameness over time

  • mundane

    more neutral; focuses on ordinariness rather than boredom

  • tedious

    highlights the effort of enduring something dull

  • boring

    everyday word; broader and works for people too

反義詞
  • exciting

    general opposite

  • varied

    stresses the change/variety humdrum lacks

用法筆記

Almost always describes activities, places, or stretches of time rather than people. Typical subjects: 'life', 'job', 'routine', 'existence', 'day'. Carries a mildly negative tone — the speaker wishes the situation were more varied.

常見錯誤

❌Felix is a humdrum man.
✅Felix lives a humdrum life.
💡humdrum describes the activity or routine, not the person doing it.
❌The party was humdrum and very loud.
✅The party was dull and very loud.
💡a one-off noisy event is not humdrum; humdrum needs a sense of repetition.