boredom
Boredom is the feeling you get when you have nothing to do and feel uninterested.
Explanation at your level:
Boredom is a feeling. You feel it when you have nothing to do. It is not fun. You want to play or work. When you are bored, you might say, 'I am bored.' Boredom is the name of that feeling. It happens at home or at school. You can stop boredom by reading a book or playing a game. Try it!
Boredom happens when you are not busy. If you sit in a chair for a long time with no phone or book, you will feel boredom. It is a very common feeling for everyone. People often try to escape boredom by watching TV or talking to friends. It is important to find things you like so you do not feel bored often.
Boredom is the state of feeling restless because you lack interest in your current activity. It is common in daily life, especially during long commutes or repetitive work. When you experience boredom, your brain is essentially telling you that it needs a new challenge. Many people find that learning a new skill is the best way to cure boredom effectively.
Boredom is more than just having nothing to do; it is a psychological state of under-stimulation. It is often described as a 'perceived slow passage of time.' While it is generally viewed as a negative experience, some psychologists argue that boredom can be a catalyst for creativity and self-reflection. It forces us to look inward or seek out new environments to satisfy our mental needs.
Boredom is a complex affective state that arises when an individual is unable to engage their attention with internal or external stimuli. In an academic context, it is often studied as a failure of the 'attention system.' Unlike simple laziness, boredom involves a high level of arousal and frustration, as the individual actively desires engagement but cannot find a suitable outlet. It is a distinct human experience that has been explored in literature and philosophy for centuries as a symptom of modern existence.
Boredom, or the existential condition often termed 'ennui' in literary circles, represents a profound detachment from the immediate environment. It is not merely the absence of activity, but a failure of the subject to find meaning in their surroundings. Historically, it was viewed as a moral failing, but contemporary thought recognizes it as a fundamental aspect of the human condition. The etymological roots suggest a 'stuffing' or 'cramming' of the senses, leading to a state of saturation that paradoxically feels like a void. Mastering the nuances of this word allows one to describe not just a lack of fun, but a deep-seated restlessness that defines the modern experience of time and purpose.
واژه در 30 ثانیه
- Boredom is the state of feeling uninterested.
- It is an uncountable noun.
- Commonly cured by new activities.
- Can be a source of creativity.
Have you ever sat on a rainy afternoon staring at the wall, feeling like time has completely stopped? That, my friend, is boredom. It is not just about being lazy; it is a genuine mental state where your brain is craving something new, exciting, or challenging, but your environment is failing to provide it.
When we experience boredom, we often feel restless, irritable, or even sleepy. It is a signal from our mind that we need to find a new activity to engage our curiosity. While it can feel unpleasant, many experts believe that boredom is actually a good thing—it pushes us to be creative, start new hobbies, or finally finish that project we have been putting off!
The word boredom is a relatively modern addition to the English language. It first appeared in the mid-19th century, famously used by Charles Dickens in his novel Bleak House in 1852. Before that, people mostly used phrases like 'the spleen' or 'tedium' to describe the same feeling.
The root word bore, meaning to weary someone by being dull, likely comes from the French bourrer, meaning to stuff or cram. Think about it: when someone is boring you, they are essentially 'stuffing' your head with dull information until you feel full and restless! It is a fascinating look at how our language evolves to describe common human experiences.
You will hear boredom used in both casual and formal settings. In casual conversation, we often say we are 'dying of boredom' or 'suffering from boredom.' It is a very common noun used to explain why someone might be acting out or looking for trouble.
In more academic or professional contexts, you might hear about 'the boredom of repetitive tasks' in a workplace. It is a neutral term, meaning it is not inherently 'bad' language, but it does describe a negative emotional state. Always remember that boredom is an uncountable noun; you cannot have 'a boredom' or 'boredoms'!
English speakers love to use colorful phrases to describe this feeling. Here are five you should know:
- Bored to tears: To be extremely bored.
- Bored stiff: To be so bored you feel frozen or unable to move.
- Die of boredom: An exaggeration used when a situation is incredibly dull.
- Bored out of one's mind: To be completely overwhelmed by a lack of interest.
- Kill time: Doing something to pass the hours when you are bored.
Grammatically, boredom is an uncountable noun. This means you should treat it like 'water' or 'air'—you never add an 's' to the end. You would say 'The boredom was intense,' not 'The boredoms were intense.'
For pronunciation, in British English, it is /ˈbɔː.dəm/, and in American English, it is /ˈbɔːr.dəm/. The stress is always on the first syllable—BORE-dom. It rhymes with words like 'fledom' (if that were a word!) or sounds similar to the ending of 'wisdom' or 'freedom'.
Fun Fact
First recorded in 1852 by Charles Dickens.
Pronunciation Guide
Sounds like 'bore-dum' with a soft 'm'.
Sounds like 'bore-dum' with a slight 'r' sound.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing the 'd' as 't'
- Adding an extra syllable
- Misplacing the stress
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy to read
Easy to use
Common word
Clear pronunciation
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
پیشرفته
Grammar to Know
Uncountable Nouns
Boredom is...
Adjective vs Noun
I am bored / I feel boredom
Verb Patterns
Suffer from
Examples by Level
I feel boredom today.
I feel bored today.
Use 'feel' with the noun.
Boredom is not fun.
Boredom is bad.
Subject usage.
No more boredom!
Stop the boredom.
Exclamation.
He has boredom.
He is bored.
Simple verb.
Stop the boredom.
End the feeling.
Imperative.
Boredom is long.
Time feels long.
Adjective usage.
I hate boredom.
I dislike this.
Verb usage.
Is it boredom?
Are you bored?
Question form.
The boredom was very bad.
She read to stop the boredom.
He felt boredom at work.
Boredom is a common feeling.
I want to end my boredom.
Do you feel boredom?
Boredom makes time slow.
We played to kill boredom.
The long meeting caused great boredom.
He tried to escape the boredom of his job.
Boredom can lead to bad habits.
She suffered from boredom all summer.
The film was a cure for my boredom.
I was overcome with boredom.
Boredom is a sign of needing change.
They fought the boredom by traveling.
The sheer boredom of the task was unbearable.
He sought to alleviate his boredom with music.
Chronic boredom can be a sign of depression.
The teacher noticed the students' growing boredom.
She found a creative outlet to combat boredom.
Boredom often strikes on quiet afternoons.
He was driven by a sense of existential boredom.
They found relief from the boredom of city life.
The pervasive boredom of the town drove him to leave.
He analyzed the roots of his intellectual boredom.
Boredom is often a precursor to radical innovation.
The philosophical implications of boredom are vast.
She felt a profound sense of boredom with her routine.
The monotony of the landscape induced a state of boredom.
He viewed his boredom as a luxury of the idle.
Boredom serves as a vital signal for the restless mind.
The ennui and boredom of the aristocratic class were legendary.
His work explores the intersection of boredom and desire.
She captured the quiet boredom of suburban existence perfectly.
The inherent boredom of the infinite was his main theme.
He escaped the boredom of his station through art.
Boredom is the silent companion of the uninspired.
The existential weight of boredom pressed upon him.
They debated the merits of boredom in a fast-paced world.
مترادفها
متضادها
ترکیبهای رایج
Idioms & Expressions
"bored to tears"
extremely bored
The lecture was so long I was bored to tears.
casual"bored stiff"
very bored
I was bored stiff waiting for the bus.
casual"kill time"
do something to pass the time
We played cards to kill time.
neutral"twiddle one's thumbs"
have nothing to do
I spent all day twiddling my thumbs.
casual"watch paint dry"
something very boring
That movie was like watching paint dry.
casual"at a loose end"
having nothing to do
I'm at a loose end this afternoon.
neutralEasily Confused
similar root
adjective vs noun
I am bored (adj) / I feel boredom (noun).
similar root
adjective vs noun
The book is boring (adj).
similar meaning
tedium is more formal
The tedium of the task.
similar meaning
ennui is more philosophical
A sense of ennui.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + feel + boredom
I feel boredom sometimes.
Subject + suffer from + boredom
He suffers from boredom.
Subject + cure + boredom
We cured our boredom.
Subject + escape + boredom
She escaped the boredom.
Subject + combat + boredom
They combat boredom with art.
خانواده کلمه
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
مرتبط
How to Use It
7
Formality Scale
اشتباهات رایج
Boredom is an uncountable noun.
Use the adjective 'bored' to describe feelings.
Avoid redundancy.
The suffix is -dom, not -domness.
Boredom is a noun, not an adverb.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a clock ticking slowly in your room.
Native Speakers
We say 'bored to tears' often.
Cultural Insight
Boredom is often contrasted with 'productivity'.
Grammar Shortcut
Never use 'a' before boredom.
Say It Right
Stress the first syllable.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't say 'boredoms'.
Did You Know?
Dickens coined the word.
Study Smart
Use the word in a journal entry.
Verb Patterns
We 'suffer from' boredom.
Register
Use 'tedium' for formal writing.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
BORE + DOM (like a DOMinant feeling)
Visual Association
A person sitting in a room with a ticking clock.
Word Web
چالش
Write three sentences about a time you were bored.
ریشه کلمه
English
Original meaning: To weary or annoy
بافت فرهنگی
None
Boredom is often seen as a problem to be solved in Western culture.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at work
- boredom at the office
- repetitive tasks
- lack of challenge
school
- boredom in class
- dull lessons
- need for engagement
travel
- boredom on long flights
- killing time
- travel fatigue
home
- weekend boredom
- nothing to do
- need a hobby
Conversation Starters
"What do you do when you feel boredom?"
"Do you think boredom is good for creativity?"
"What is the most boring thing you have ever done?"
"How do you kill time when you are bored?"
"Is boredom a modern problem?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you were bored to tears.
How do you distinguish between laziness and boredom?
Write about a hobby you started to cure your boredom.
Is it possible to live a life without any boredom?
سوالات متداول
8 سوالNot necessarily, it can lead to creativity.
No, it is uncountable.
Bored is how you feel; boring is what causes the feeling.
Bore-dum.
Yes.
There is no plural.
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable.
Yes, 'to bore'.
خودت رو بسنج
I feel ___ because I have nothing to do.
Use the adjective to describe a feeling.
Which word is a synonym for boredom?
Tedium means the same thing.
Boredom is a countable noun.
Boredom is uncountable.
Word
معنی
These are common idioms.
The boredom was cured.
امتیاز: /5
Summary
Boredom is a signal that your brain is ready for a new challenge.
- Boredom is the state of feeling uninterested.
- It is an uncountable noun.
- Commonly cured by new activities.
- Can be a source of creativity.
Memory Palace
Imagine a clock ticking slowly in your room.
Native Speakers
We say 'bored to tears' often.
Cultural Insight
Boredom is often contrasted with 'productivity'.
Grammar Shortcut
Never use 'a' before boredom.
مثال
He yawned to hide his boredom during the long movie.
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این کلمه در زبانهای دیگر
واژههای بیشتر Emotions
abanimfy
C1A collective psychological state characterized by a profound loss of vitality, spirit, or motivation within a specific group or community. It describes the stagnation that occurs when a social structure or organization loses its shared sense of purpose and creative energy.
abanimize
C1یعنی اینکه احساسات رو از یه موقعیت دور کنی تا بتونی با دید بازتر و عینیتر بهش فکر کنی.
abhor
C1احساس نفرت یا بیزاریِ خیلی عمیق نسبت به یه چیز. وقتی از نظر اخلاقی یا احساسی از چیزی خیلی بدت میاد، از این کلمه استفاده میکنی.
abminity
C1To regard something with intense loathing or extreme disgust; to treat an object or idea as an abomination. It is used in high-level contexts to describe a profound moral or aesthetic aversion toward an action or concept.
abmotine
C1Describes a state of being emotionally detached or lacking intrinsic motivation, often characterized by a cold, clinical, or indifferent stance. It is used to denote a specific lack of movement or response to external emotional stimuli.
abominable
C1Causing a feeling of hatred or disgust; very unpleasant or disagreeable. It often describes something morally repulsive or extremely bad in quality.
abphilous
C1To consciously withdraw or distance oneself from a previous affinity, attraction, or emotional attachment. It involves a systematic effort to break a psychological bond in order to achieve a state of neutrality or objectivity.
absedhood
C1«absedhood» حالتیه که آدم از محیط اطرافش یا مسئولیتهای اجتماعیش خیلی فاصله گرفته و از نظر احساسی کنار کشیده. یه جور تنهایی شدید و اغلب خودخواسته است.
abvidness
C1The quality or state of being intensely eager, enthusiastic, or consumed by a particular interest or desire. It represents a level of dedication and spirited engagement that often goes beyond standard enthusiasm, typical of scholars, collectors, or hobbyists.
adacrty
C1Alacrity refers to a cheerful readiness, promptness, or willingness to do something. It describes not only the speed of an action but also the positive and enthusiastic attitude of the person performing it.
