tepid

[ tep-id ]

adjective

1. moderately warm; lukewarm:

   tepid water.

   Synonyms: mild, moderate

2. characterized by a lack of force or enthusiasm:

   tepid prose;

   the critics' tepid reception for the new play.

   Synonyms: unemotional, apathetic, halfhearted

tepid

/ ˈtɛpɪd /

adjective

1. slightly warm; lukewarm
2. relatively unenthusiastic or apathetic

   the play had a tepid reception

Derived Forms

• teˈpidity, noun
• ˈtepidly, adverb

Other Words From

• te·pidi·ty tepid·ness noun
• tepid·ly adverb
• sub·tepid adjective
• sub·tepid·ly adverb
• sub·tepid·ness noun
• subte·pidi·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tepid¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin tepidus “lukewarm,” from tep(ēre) “to be lukewarm” + -idus -id ⁴

Word History and Origins

Origin of tepid¹

C14: from Latin tepidus, from tepēre to be lukewarm

Example Sentences

The public’s reaction to the $150 million Arch Deluxe campaign was tepid at best.

From Eater

Earlier this year, I gave a tepid recommendation to Mortal Kombat's latest theatrical reboot.

From Ars Technica

Meanwhile, other browser vendors—like Apple, Opera, Mozilla, and Microsoft—have floated more tepid "no plans to implement" statements.

From Ars Technica

AirAsia India—a joint venture between Tata Sons and Malaysia’s AirAsia Investment—has not laid off any employees despite the fact that aviation traffic in India has remained tepid for most of last year.

From Quartz

Meanwhile, the government in Lesotho has only offered a tepid response to the issue.

From Time

That was the last time the band allowed tepid performances and overwrought production overwhelm an otherwise solid set of songs.

From The Daily Beast

You expect another shower of tepid excuses, but the mother simply shrugs.

From The Daily Beast

Her delivery—airy and a little tepid—is familiar from her long-running reality series.

From The Daily Beast

“Sure, Greenwald and Pierre occasionally express tepid ‘support’ for the PayPal14,” the anonymous letter said Monday.

From The Daily Beast

They almost have an incentive to keep the economy going at a more tepid rate.

From The Daily Beast

He inclines to the use of the tepid bath, as likely to be the most generally efficacious.

From Project Gutenberg

One wine-glass of the solution, added to half a pint of tepid water, is sufficient for each application.

From Project Gutenberg

One wine-glassful of this solution, added to half a pint of tepid water, is sufficient for each application.

From Project Gutenberg

This tepid admiration was not the outcome of conscientious feeling, but of her faith on the strength of love.

From Project Gutenberg

Lily B.—If your poor canary allows you to handle it, you can hold it for a moment in tepid water, which will refresh it very much.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dull
• halfhearted
• mild
• unenthusiastic
• warm