monotony

American  

[muh-not-n-ee] / məˈnɒt n i /

noun

1. wearisome uniformity or lack of variety, as in occupation or scenery.

2. the continuance of an unvarying sound; monotone.

3. sameness of tone or pitch, as in speaking.

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monotony British  

/ məˈnɒtənɪ /

noun

1. wearisome routine; dullness

2. lack of variety in pitch or cadence

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Etymology

Origin of monotony

1700–10; < Late Greek monotonía, equivalent to monóton ( os ) monotonous + -ia -y ³

Example Sentences

“Life is life-ing” is the bills and the monotony and the traffic and the family — it’s all the things.

From Los Angeles Times

Just as the viewer starts to see the first shades of monotony rising over the horizon, Seyfried and Feig flip the script.

From Salon

Spilled pencils, overturned books and a crumbled cookie lay strewn about on her bedroom floor, halfhearted attempts to break up the monotony.

From The Wall Street Journal

Live tennis and live golf offer details that can’t be captured on television, but there are rules of decorum and big potential for monotony.

From Los Angeles Times

So long as there is wonder, there is no room for monotony.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• tedium