humdrum
Americanadjective
noun
-
humdrum character or routine; monotony.
-
monotonous or tedious talk.
-
Archaic. a dull, boring person.
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- humdrumness noun
Etymology
Origin of humdrum
1545–55; earlier humtrum, rhyming compound based on hum
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.
Certainly the humdrum of legislation or bureaucratic rule-marking is nothing like the gossipy speculation about who may or may not bid to lead California as its 41st governor.
From Los Angeles Times
Private-market managers like humdrum annuities: long-term insurance policies popular with retirees because they offer a regular stream of payments.
And, given his humdrum season with Columbus Crew, how did Nancy get this job in the first place?
From BBC
The market had been pretty humdrum for all of November, making the decline at the kickoff of December notable.
From Barron's
History tells a more humdrum story: People will find new and better work as productivity increases.
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.
