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
- lukewarmly adverb
- lukewarmness noun
- lukewarmth noun
Etymology
Origin of lukewarm
1350–1400; Middle English lukewarme tepid, equivalent to luke tepid (unexplained alteration of lew, Old English gehlēow tepid) + warme warm
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.
Ruben Amorim was the first to call him into the senior training squad, even if his response to Gabriel's presence was lukewarm.
From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026
The most significant part of the meeting, noted Dario Perkins of TS Lombard, was Powell’s lukewarm support for the look-through approach, a hawkish turn from how the committee had been treating tariffs.
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026
Few things are more disappointing than a dish that was clearly meant to be served warm but arrives in a vague state of lukewarm uncertainty.
From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026
The analyst community is relatively lukewarm on Lufthansa as their mean target price is €8.64 versus current levels around €8.11.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
I take a bath in the reddish lukewarm water.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
