lukewarm
Americanadjective
-
moderately warm; tepid.
-
having or showing little ardor, zeal, or enthusiasm; indifferent.
lukewarm applause.
- Synonyms:
- apathetic, cool, halfhearted
adjective
-
(esp of water) moderately warm; tepid
-
having or expressing little enthusiasm or conviction
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lukewarm
1350–1400; Middle English lukewarme tepid, equivalent to luke tepid (unexplained alteration of lew, Old English gehlēow tepid) + warme warm
Explanation
Something lukewarm is just a teeny bit warm. Lukewarm feelings are also not very strong. Lukewarm is a word for things that are warm, but only barely. A forgotten cup of hot coffee will get lukewarm before it eventually gets cold. It's disappointing when food at a restaurant is served lukewarm; most people like their food hot. Also, people can have lukewarm feelings and reactions. If someone asks you out to lunch and you say, "Well, I guess that would be OK," that's a lukewarm response.
Vocabulary lists containing lukewarm
Ungifted
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Prisoner B-3087
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Gregor the Overlander
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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.
As part of the bedtime routine, the NHS UK website, external recommends lukewarm baths.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
Broadcom’s lukewarm revenue guidance causes a slump in the stock.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Given the strong momentum of the stock-market rally over the past two months, it may be hard to remember the lukewarm performance of tech stocks during the first few months of the year.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
A lukewarm market reception for an early OpenAI listing, which seems plausible given the steady drumbeat of dysfunction at the Sam Altman-led company, could force Anthropic to delay or scale back.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
The water was lukewarm and foul, but a runner was already racing toward him.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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.
