ho-hum 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhō-ˈhəm How to pronounce ho-hum (audio)
Definition of ho-humnext
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the characterizations are good, but the plot is just ho-hum

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ho hum

2 of 2

interjection

as in boo

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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 ho-hum
Adjective
The game’s review scores among critics were a bit ho-hum, but players ate it up, especially with the non-stop, large-scale updates that arrive every week or so, and have drastically transformed the game in just a few months. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 The ho-hum on Supergirl was further exacerbated by the response to the first trailer and the takeaway from CinemaCon (the bus battle scene wasn’t entirely embraced when shown in the room). — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 29 June 2026
Interjection
Moreover, on a day-to-day basis, not just month-to-month, record lows are almost becoming, well, ho hum. — Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 9 Feb. 2017 Flat screens—ho hum, most CRTs long ago were relegated to the basement or the recycling center. — IEEE Spectrum, 7 Jan. 2011 See All Example Sentences for ho-hum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ho-hum
  1. boring
  2. yuck
  3. slow
  4. tiring
  5. dull
  6. stupid
  7. weary
  8. old
Adjective
  • Far fewer people stay responsible when the work turns boring, unclear or inconvenient, and that's precisely when ownership surfaces.
    — Somdutta Singh, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Monocultures can be boring, but on the flipside, a huge collection of individual species looks like a busy bowl of potpourri.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2026
Definition of boring
Interjection
  • The new iPad Pro marks the point midway between the way things were (Bezel? Yuck!) and the way they soon will be (Nothing but screen.
    — David Pierce, WIRED, 12 June 2017
Definition of yuck
Adjective
  • There was no repeat of the slow start that cost him a spot last season.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026
  • The house old-fashioned can be made with bourbon or gin and is a much slower sip.
    — Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • The 90 minutes or more will be highly physical and tiring, and only one will remain standing at the end.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 1 July 2026
  • The head coach was clumsy in his response, saying — in effect — that the player is better suited to being an impact substitute and taking advantage of tiring opposition defenders.
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • But all work and no play can make for a dull chief scientific officer.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 2 July 2026
  • The great speculators became talkative and communicative or dull, sullen, silent, and peevish.
    — Owen Lamont, Fortune, 2 July 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • And no, that was NOT OutKick or FOX who wrote that stupid headline.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • The thing about House of the Dragon is that everything really is quite stupid.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 June 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • And ever since, ships full of travelers, weary from long journeys, have passed through the narrows, the winds of the Atlantic at their backs.
    — Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
  • As America turns 250, the semiquincentennial feels like a dud — a far cry from 1976’s bicentennial blowout, when pop culture and communal celebrations united a weary nation.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of weary
Adjective
  • The infant, who is 9 months old, was rescued along with her mother, the State Department told Fox News Digital.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • While students honed their skills at the Santa Monica studio for the last year and four months, Blanck found an old pilates studio in Pacific Highlands for rent, but the numbers just didn't add up.
    — Rina Nakano, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of old

Browse Nearby Words

hog wild
ho-hum
ho hum
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ho-hum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ho-hum. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All