BOREDOM Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

boredom

noun

ˈbȯr-dəm

Definition of boredom

as in restlessness

the state of being bored she spent that whole meeting in a state of complete boredom, waiting for lunch

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of boredom Then, after walking for a couple of blocks, directing withering sneers at the policeman’s reddish face, which was as impassive as that of a stone idol, Gleb cooled down and succumbed to boredom. — Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026 The company granted Hayes free food for life at any location, though familiarity, to misquote an old adage, breeds boredom. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2026 Then came a quieter reaction—people shifting in their seats, glancing at one another, going still in a way that had nothing to do with boredom. — Julian De Freitas, Harvard Business Review, 24 Sep. 2026 Far fewer people can execute the same disciplines at the same standard through boredom, distraction, and difficult seasons. — Richard Ceffalio, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boredom

Recent Examples of Synonyms for boredom

Noun

With both of these planets transiting Air signs, there is a cerebral side to this alignment, presenting the opportunity to channel feelings of restlessness into something resourceful.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Other common sleep issues that don’t affect the airways include movement disorders that cause nighttime restlessness or narcolepsy, a neurological disorder that affects the body’s sleep-wake cycles and causes excessive sleepiness.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of restlessness

Noun

But John Bravender, a weather service warning coordination meteorologist, said 2026 has yielded a different type of weariness in Hawaii.

— John Raby, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
Speaking after Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday, manager Xabi Alonso betrayed some weariness at the lack of closure.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of weariness

Noun

The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of melancholy

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bored

boredom

bore (down)

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“Boredom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boredom. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of boredom

noun

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