English Reference
noun

boredom

n.
US /ˈbɔɹdəm/ UK /bˈɔːdəm/ bore·dom UK spelling boredoms

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    the feeling of being tired and unhappy because something is not interesting or you have nothing to do.

    the state of being weary and restless through lack of interest or lack of stimulation. Uncountable in general usage.

    Simple

    The children complained of boredom because it was raining and they couldn't go outside.

    In context

    To alleviate the sheer boredom of the long-haul flight, he brought several thick novels and a collection of crossword puzzles.

    Pitfall
    I died of boring during the long meeting. I died of boredom during the long meeting.

    Use 'boredom' for the noun (the feeling) and 'boring' for the adjective (the thing causing the feeling).

    tediumennuidullness
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a particular time or situation where you feel bored.

    a specific instance or duration of being bored. Countable in this specific sense.

    Simple

    After a long boredom at the office, he was happy to finally go home.

    In context

    The summer was marked by occasional boredoms that were only interrupted by the arrival of the weekly post.

    dull period

From bore + -dom.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated