boring

¹ American  

[bawr-ing] / ˈbɔr ɪŋ /

adjective

1. causing or marked by boredom; dull and uninteresting; tiresome: to have a boring time.

   a boring discussion;

   to have a boring time.

   Synonyms:

   tedious, tiresome, dull

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boring ² American  

[bawr-ing, bohr-] / ˈbɔr ɪŋ, ˈboʊr- /

noun

1. Machinery.

   1. the act or process of making or enlarging a hole.

   2. the hole so made.

2. Geology. a cylindrical sample of earth strata obtained by boring a vertical hole.

3. borings, the chips, fragments, or dust produced in boring.

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boring ¹ British  

/ ˈbɔːrɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the act or process of making or enlarging a hole

   2. the hole made in this way

2. (often plural) a fragment, particle, chip, etc, produced during boring

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boring ² British  

/ ˈbɔːrɪŋ /

adjective

1. dull; repetitious; uninteresting

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Other Word Forms

• boringly adverb
• boringness noun

Etymology

Origin of boring¹

First recorded in 1835–45; bore ¹ + -ing ²

Origin of boring²

First recorded in 1400–50; bore ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The 1990s were boring, at least compared with the go-go ’80s and our current decade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

But the committee’s decision on rates is expected to be the most boring part of the day.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Because the other options were boring, and he was “falling asleep” while listening to them.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2026

In the middle of the most boring part of the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues, it’s like a Superhero League.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

But after a while, even art could get kind of boring.

From Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Related Words

• dull
• humdrum
• lifeless
• monotonous
• mundane
• stale
• stodgy
• stuffy
• stupid
• tame
• tedious
• tiresome
• tiring
• trite
• uninteresting