tepid
Americanadjective
-
moderately warm; lukewarm.
tepid water.
-
characterized by a lack of force or enthusiasm.
tepid prose;
the critics' tepid reception for the new play.
- Synonyms:
- apathetic, halfhearted, unemotional
adjective
-
slightly warm; lukewarm
-
relatively unenthusiastic or apathetic
the play had a tepid reception
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tepid
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin tepidus “lukewarm,” from tep(ēre) “to be lukewarm” + -idus -id 4
Explanation
Tepid means lukewarm or half-hearted. If the applause for your mime-on-a-unicycle performance was more tepid than enthusiastic, it might be time to find a new hobby. Around the year 1400, the word tepid evolved from the Latin tepidus, an adjective meaning “lukewarm,” which itself is derived from the Latin tepere, a verb meaning “to be warm.” Tepid people or things are lukewarm or lacking in enthusiasm or emotion. Bathwater that’s been sitting in the tub for two hours is probably tepid. So is the greeting you might give to a former friend you run into at the movie theater.
Vocabulary lists containing tepid
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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.
Now, as Watters implied, it’s floundering, feeling much too tepid when compared Fox’s online competitors and actual politicians flinging unprintable slurs.
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
Despite Wall Street’s tepid response, some analysts remain bullish on Netflix.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
And people are tense about their job prospects, with many staying where they are for now because hiring is tepid.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
Meanwhile, more traditional regional banks were facing questions about tepid loan growth and intense deposit competition.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
But the machine in the corridor dispenses only coffee, tepid at best, in paper cups.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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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.
