tedium
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of tedium
First recorded in 1655–65, tedium is from the Latin word taedium
Explanation
Tedium is the state of being really bored while doing something repetitive. You may loathe the tedium of eating dinner with the family — after all, what is more boring than talking to mom and dad, especially if you could be texting friends? The noun tedium comes from the Latin root word taedere, meaning "to weary of," and that's still what tedium means today: bored and weary of it all. The noun can also mean a tedious period of time — school concerts and assemblies are always two hours of tedium. Tedious is a related adjective form of the word. In order to relieve the tedium of homework, you should pick less tedious tasks, try fencing or painting to add some excitement to the day.
Vocabulary lists containing tedium
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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.
And its pacing problems still haven’t been solved — too many plot points feel rushed, while others are drawn out to the point of tedium, even with the series’ conclusion within sight.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
Artificial intelligence could cut the time and tedium of preparing your 2025 tax return.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
Mindlessly churning through the tedium of business is JR’s superpower, which he unleashes with an initial stock purchase after a class field trip to Wall Street.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
In recent days, the troops have been largely fighting tedium, without much to do.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2025
In my cave the tedium is worse, of course.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
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.
