Word
bored
US/ˈbɔɹd/
UK/bˈɔːd/
Definitions
01feeling uninterested
A1 · Beginner
adj. feeling unhappy or tired because you are not interested in what you are doing.
adj. feeling weary and restless through lack of interest or having nothing to do.
“The children were bored during the long car ride and started to argue.”
“The students grew increasingly bored as the lecturer continued to read directly from the slides without engaging the audience.”
Usage
Usually follows a linking verb like 'be', 'get', or 'feel'; often takes the preposition 'with'.
Pitfall
The movie was very bored.
The movie was very boring.
Use 'bored' to describe how a person feels. Use 'boring' to describe the thing that causes the feeling.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02having a hole
C1 · Advanced Technology Technical
adj. having a hole made through it by a tool.
adj. perforated or hollowed out, typically by a drill or similar mechanical tool.
“The bored metal pipe allowed the water to flow through easily.”
“The engine block features precisely bored cylinders to ensure maximum compression and fuel efficiency during operation.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Confusables
Bored is the feeling inside a person; boring is the quality of the thing that causes that feeling.
RememberBored = The Person. Boring = The Problem.
Etymology
From bore + -ed.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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