Boring — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈbȯr-iŋ/ bor·ing

Meaning & Definition of Boring

Boring (adjective)

  1. causing weariness and restlessness through lack of interest, causing boredom, tiresome

Boring (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest

    "I wish this book weren't so boring; I keep falling asleep whenever I try to read it"

    similar: arid, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum, humdrum, jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing, monochromatic, monotonous, numbing, old, pedestrian, ponderous, slow, stale, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying
    related: aseptic, barren, blah, dullish, pleasureless, prosaic, prosy, soggy, spiritless, blank, earthbound, gray, inanimate, pallid, pedantic, sterile, suspenseless, undramatic, uneventful, unexciting, unimaginative, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, annoying, bothersome, irksome, irritating, longsome, palling, draining, enervating, exhausting, fatiguing, wearing, debilitating, enfeebling, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting, common, commonplace, ordinary, tepid, unexceptional, unsurprising, vapid, cumbersome, lumbering, plodding, poky
    opposite: absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting
    near: amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, sensational, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, animating, breathtaking, electrifying, energizing, enlivening, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, hair-raising, inspiring, invigorating, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, amusing, diverting, entertaining, moving, poignant, touching, alluring, attracting, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, enthralling, entrancing, fascinating, mesmerizing, spellbinding, suspenseful, arresting, provocative, tantalizing

Boring (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make a hole or series of holes in

    "some woodpecker bored holes in our tree in the backyard"

    similar: drilling, holing, perforating, piercing, punching, puncturing, riddling
    related: broaching, tapping, poking, pricking, prickling, penetrating, burrowing (into), excavating, gouging, grooving, hollowing, breaking, cutting, gashing, notching, rending, rupturing, slashing, slitting, splitting
    near: filling, patching, plugging, sealing

  2. to force one's way

    "with some effort, she bored through the throng of yelling protestors"

    similar: bulldozing, bulling, crashing, elbowing, jamming, jostling, muscling, pressing, pushing, shouldering, squeezing
    related: ramming, shoving, thrusting

  3. to make weary and restless by being dull or monotonous

    "the professor's lifeless and unimaginative teaching style bored the students to death"

    similar: jading, tiring, wearying, putting to sleep
    related: palling, burning out, doing in, draining, enervating, exhausting, fagging, fatiguing, tuckering (out), washing out, wearing, wearing out, debilitating, disabling, enfeebling, dejecting, demoralizing, discouraging, disheartening, dispiriting
    opposite: absorbing, busying, engaging, engrossing, enthralling, fascinating, gripping, interesting, intriguing
    near: activating, animating, energizing, enlivening, exciting, galvanizing, invigorating, stimulating, strengthening, vitalizing, amusing, entertaining, alluring, attracting, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, enchanting, hypnotizing, mesmerizing, monopolizing, preoccupying, busying, immersing, involving, occupying, pumping up, rallying, rousing, stirring

Related Entry: Bore (verb)

Bore is a different word from Boring. The synonyms below are for bore, not for boring.

  1. to make a hole or series of holes in

    "some woodpecker bored holes in our tree in the backyard"

    similar: drill, hole, perforate, pierce, punch, puncture, riddle
    related: broach, tap, poke, prick, prickle, penetrate, burrow (into), excavate, gouge, groove, hollow, break, cut, gash, notch, rend, rupture, slash, slit, split
    near: fill, patch, plug, seal

  2. to force one's way

    "with some effort, she bored through the throng of yelling protestors"

    similar: bull, bulldoze, crash, elbow, jam, jostle, muscle, press, push, shoulder, squeeze
    related: ram, shove, thrust

Related Entry: Bore (verb)

Bore is a different word from Boring. The synonyms below are for bore, not for boring.

  1. to make weary and restless by being dull or monotonous

    "the professor's lifeless and unimaginative teaching style bored the students to death"

    similar: jade, tire, weary, put to sleep
    related: pall, burn out, do in, drain, enervate, exhaust, fag, fatigue, tucker (out), wash out, wear, wear out, debilitate, disable, enfeeble, deject, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit
    opposite: absorb, busy, engage, engross, enthrall, fascinate, grip, interest, intrigue
    near: activate, animate, energize, enliven, excite, galvanize, invigorate, stimulate, strengthen, vitalize, amuse, entertain, allure, attract, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, enchant, hypnotize, mesmerize, monopolize, preoccupy, busy, immerse, involve, occupy, pump up, rally, rouse, stir

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Boring

The most common words with a similar meaning to Boring:

arid, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat, heavy, ho-hum, humdrum, jading, jejune, leaden, mind-numbing, monochromatic, monotonous, numbing, old, pedestrian, ponderous, slow, stale, stodgy, stuffy, stupid, tame, tedious, tiresome, tiring, uninteresting, wearisome, weary, wearying, drilling, holing, perforating, piercing, punching

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Boring

Words with the opposite meaning of Boring:

absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving, riveting, busying, enthralling, fascinating

Related Words for Boring

aseptic, barren, blah, dullish, pleasureless, prosaic, prosy, soggy, spiritless, blank, earthbound, gray, inanimate, pallid, pedantic, sterile, suspenseless, undramatic, uneventful, unexciting, unimaginative, uninspiring, unnewsworthy, unrewarding, unsensational, unspectacular, annoying, bothersome, irksome, irritating

Near Antonyms of Boring

amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, eye-opening, fabulous, marvelous, sensational, spectacular, surprising, wonderful, wondrous, animating, breathtaking, electrifying, energizing, enlivening, exciting, exhilarating, galvanizing, hair-raising, inspiring, invigorating, rip-roaring, rousing, stimulating, stirring, thrilling, amusing, diverting

Word Forms of Boring

Derived words: boringly (adverb), boringness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Boring

from present participle of bore:6

First known use: 1785

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Boring

Words & Phrases Containing Boring

wood-boring

Frequently Asked Questions about Boring

What does "Boring" mean?

"Boring" means causing weariness and restlessness through lack of interest, causing boredom, tiresome. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: causing weariness and restlessness through lack of interest, causing boredom, tiresome. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Boring"?

Other words for "Boring" include arid, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull and dusty. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Boring" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Boring"?

There are 139 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Boring". Common alternatives include arid, colorless, drab, dreary, drudging, dry, dull, dusty, flat and heavy.

What is the opposite of "Boring"?

Antonyms of "Boring" include absorbing, engaging, engrossing, gripping, interesting, intriguing, involving and riveting. Near antonyms include amazing, astonishing, astounding and awesome.

How do you use "Boring" in a sentence?

Examples of "Boring" in a sentence: "I wish this book weren't so boring; I keep falling asleep whenever I try to read it"; "some woodpecker bored holes in our tree in the backyard"; "with some effort, she bored through the throng of yelling protestors".

Is "Boring" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Boring" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Boring" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Boring" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Boring"?

"Boring" is pronounced /ˈbȯr-iŋ/ and divided into syllables as bor·ing.