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boredom

American  
[bawr-duhm] / ˈbɔr dəm /

noun

  1. the state of being bored; the feeling of being wearied by dullness, tedious repetition, etc.

    Synonyms:
    ennui, tedium, weariness, doldrums, dullness
    Antonyms:
    amusement, diversion, excitement
boredom British  
/ ˈbɔːdəm /

noun

  1. the state of being bored; tedium

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of boredom

First recorded in 1850–55; bore 1 + -dom

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 its humor is rooted in that hazy 1970s sense of drift, when boredom and isolation start to blur together and nothing feels especially urgent, even when it probably should.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

With precision and care, the author elegantly chronicles his own shame, envy, boredom, regret and despair, illuminating his experiences with insights from philosophy, psychology, ethnography and history.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

The singer originally documented his experience in hospital with heart problems on Instagram due to "boredom", he said.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Many people order due to “stress, boredom or fatigue,” he said, but generally, delivery should be considered a treat.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 6, 2026

On the other hand, there was a certain safety in the unrelenting boredom of each day.

From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson

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.