ho-hum
Americaninterjection
adjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of ho-hum
First recorded in 1920–25
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.
That might look ho-hum after the past three years’ bull run, but 8% is well above the average inflation-adjusted annual return of the index since the 1950s.
From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026
And all for a couple of ho-hum, wearisome men.
From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026
The ho-hum performance, including a decline in the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks, reversed the trend of broadening gains that prevailed earlier in the week.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026
The Patriots haven’t seen many elite quarterbacks this season, instead beating a ho-hum collection of passers that includes Cam Ward, Spencer Rattler, Dillon Gabriel and 40-year-old Joe Flacco.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2026
These women are pillars of wonder, defying gravity while wearing the ho-hum aspect of perfect tedium.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
