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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Prisoner B-3087
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Gregor the Overlander
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Jiang Defu, CEO of the production company Bona Film Group, acknowledged the lukewarm reception in a recent interview but said the film was pushing boundaries.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
The game's protracted development cycle was blamed for its lukewarm reviews - particularly from long-time series fans, who complained it lacked the complex moral choices of its prequels.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
His film—which featured sit-down interviews with OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei—had a lukewarm reception when it was released in March, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026
That must be a relief for longtime DC Comics fans, given its emergence on the heels of the lukewarm critical and audience reception for “Supergirl.”
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
They thought Branwell was only lukewarm about it, but the exact opposite was true.
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
