boredom
gb/bˈɔɹdəm/ us/bˈɔɹdəm/
B1
English
unalom, egyhangúság, unalmas időszak
NOUN
B1
1
unalom
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s boredom; boredom with [something]; boredom at [place/event]
Boredom hit halfway through the long meeting.
A hosszú megbeszélés felénél rátört az unalom.
He started scrolling on his phone out of boredom.
Unalmában elkezdett görgetni a telefonján.
The kids complained of boredom during the rainy weekend.
Learner examples
I feel boredom when I have nothing to do.
Rám tör az unalom, amikor nincs mit csinálnom.
Games can help with boredom.
A játékok segíthetnek elűzni az unalmat.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse the noun boredom with the adjective bored (e.g., 'I am bored').
Meaning
the feeling of being bored
Collocations
feel boredom
|a sense of boredom
|deep boredom
|sheer boredom
|chronic boredom
|escape boredom
|relieve boredom
|combat boredom
|boredom and frustration
|boredom with the routine
Synonyms
ennui (More formal and often suggests a tired, world-weary boredom.)
|
restlessness (Emphasizes being unable to settle, not just lack of interest.)
Antonyms
interest (Engagement and curiosity rather than lack of stimulation.)
|
excitement (Strong stimulation and enthusiasm rather than dullness.)
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
|psychology
Definition
The feeling you have when nothing is interesting.
The unpleasant feeling of having nothing interesting to do, or of not being interested in what is happening.
NOUN
B2
2
egyhangúság
B2
Usage pattern:
the boredom of [something]; the boredom in [something]
She hated the boredom of doing the same tasks every day.
Utálta az egyhangúságot, hogy minden nap ugyanazokat a feladatokat kell végeznie.
They moved to the city to escape the boredom of rural life.
A városba költöztek, hogy megszabaduljanak a vidéki élet egyhangúságától.
The film tries to capture the boredom and heat of summer afternoons.
Learner examples
He wants to avoid the boredom of routine work.
El akarja kerülni a rutinmunka egyhangúságát.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use boredom where boring is needed: say 'a boring class' (adjective), not 'a boredom class.'
Meaning
dullness of a situation
Collocations
the boredom of office life
|the boredom of the commute
|the boredom of routine
|everyday boredom
|endless boredom
|stifling boredom
|urban boredom
|small-town boredom
Synonyms
monotony (Focuses on repetition and lack of variety.)
|
tedium (Emphasizes how tiring and draining the dullness feels.)
Antonyms
variety (Change and difference that reduce dull repetition.)
|
stimulation (Interesting activity or input that keeps attention.)
Themes
daily_life
|work
|emotions
Definition
The dull, repetitive feeling of a situation.
The quality of being dull and repetitive, especially in a place, activity, or way of life.
NOUN
B2
3
Usage pattern:
a moment/period/spell of boredom
During a brief spell of boredom, she reorganized her desk.
Egy rövid unalmas időszak alatt átrendezte az íróasztalát.
He wrote songs to fill the boredom between shifts.
Dalokat írt, hogy kitöltse a műszakok közötti unalmas időszakokat.
The app is designed for moments of boredom on the train.
Learner examples
I read a book in moments of boredom.
Az unalmas pillanatokban könyvet olvasok.
Common mistake:
Do not overuse 'a boredom' to mean 'a boring thing'; the usual phrasing is 'a boring thing' or 'something boring.'
Meaning
a period of being bored
Collocations
a moment of boredom
|a spell of boredom
|a period of boredom
|an afternoon of boredom
|boredom during the holidays
|boredom between classes
Synonyms
lull (Suggests a temporary quiet period, not necessarily unpleasant.)
Antonyms
busy spell (A period filled with activity rather than idle time.)
Themes
daily_life
|time
|emotions
Definition
A time when you feel bored.
A time when someone is bored and has nothing engaging to do.
Grammar
Dictionary form
boredom
IPA
GB/bˈɔɹdəm/
US/bˈɔɹdəm/
Syllables & stress
bore - dom (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (bore)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: boredom
- Plural: boredom
Word family
Core family
Advanced or less common
boringly
adverb
Expressions
boredom buster
1/bˈɔɹdəm bˈʌstɚ/
fixed phrase
informal
something that stops boredom
An activity that keeps you busy and interested.
Examples
- Podcasts are my favorite boredom buster on long drives.
- The teacher brought in a few quick boredom busters for the last ten minutes of class.
- Keep a deck of cards as a boredom buster when traveling.
Learner examples
- This game is a boredom buster.
boredom sets in
1/bˈɔɹdəm sˈɛts ˈɪn/
fixed phrase
boredom begins to appear
Boredom starts.
Examples
- After the first few lessons, boredom set in.
- Boredom quickly set in when the game became too easy.
- Without new challenges, boredom can set in at work.
Learner examples
- Boredom set in after an hour.
cure boredom
1/kjˈʊɹ bˈɔɹdəm/
fixed phrase
make boredom go away
To stop boredom.
Examples
- A quick walk can cure boredom and clear your head.
- The site offers simple projects to cure boredom on rainy days.
- She tried to cure her boredom by learning basic Italian.
Learner examples
- I play music to cure boredom.
die of boredom
1/dˈaɪ əv bˈɔɹdəm/
idiom
informal
be extremely bored
To be very, very bored.
Examples
- I’ll die of boredom if this talk goes on any longer.
- We were dying of boredom on the long bus ride.
- Left alone at the party, she said she was dying of boredom.
Learner examples
- I am dying of boredom at home.
out of boredom
1/ˈaʊt əv bˈɔɹdəm/
fixed phrase
because you are bored
You do it because you are bored.
Examples
- I started cleaning out of boredom.
- He kept refreshing the page out of boredom, not because he expected news.
- Out of boredom, they wandered into a museum.
Learner examples
- I ate snacks out of boredom.