monotony
gb/mənˈɑtəni/ us/mənˈɑtəni/
B2
English
~ 8500
egyhangúság, monotónia
NOUN
B2
1
egyhangúság
B2
monotónia
C1
Usage pattern:
the monotony of [an activity / situation]
He changed jobs because he couldn’t stand the monotony of office life anymore.
Azért váltott munkahelyet, mert már nem bírta az irodai élet egyhangúságát.
To break the monotony of studying, she takes a short walk every hour.
Hogy megtörje a tanulás egyhangúságát, óránként tesz egy rövid sétát.
The monotony of the long bus journey made everyone sleepy and quiet.
After a few weeks, the monotony of doing the same workout every day started to bother him.
Learner examples
I need a new hobby to break the monotony of my evenings.
Új hobbira van szükségem, hogy megtörjem az estéim egyhangúságát.
The monotony of factory work made him feel very tired and bored.
A gyári munka egyhangúsága miatt nagyon fáradtnak és unottnak érezte magát.
Students often complain about the monotony of long online classes.
She wanted to travel to escape the monotony of her small town.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "monotony" with "monotone." "Monotony" is usually an uncountable noun for a boring state (e.g., "the monotony of my job"), while "monotone" is a noun or adjective describing a voice or sound with no change in pitch (e.g., "He spoke in a monotone"). It is also unusual to say *"a monotony"*; in most cases, use it without an article.
Meaning
boredom from unchanging routine
Collocations
break the monotony
|escape the monotony
|relieve the monotony
|the monotony of daily life
|dull monotony
|endless monotony
Synonyms
boredom (More general; does not always suggest repetition, just lack of interest.)
|
tedium (Very close in meaning; often slightly more formal and emphasizes long, slow, tiring boredom.)
|
dullness (Stresses that something is not exciting; can describe personality or color as well as routine.)
Antonyms
variety (Highlights having many different things, which removes the sense of sameness and boredom.)
|
excitement (Focuses on strong, positive feelings and energy instead of slow, boring sameness.)
Themes
emotions
|work
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A boring feeling you get when life or an activity is always the same and never changes.
A feeling of dullness and lack of interest caused by doing the same things in the same way for a long period of time.
NOUN
C1
2
egyhangúság
B2
monotónia
C1
Usage pattern:
the monotony of [a voice / sound]
The monotony of the lecturer’s voice made it hard to stay awake.
Az előadó hangjának egyhangúsága miatt nehéz volt ébren maradni.
Her speech was clear, but the monotony of her delivery failed to keep the audience engaged.
A beszéde érthető volt, de előadásmódjának egyhangúsága miatt nem tudta fenntartani a közönség figyelmét.
The song’s charm was lost in the monotony of the singer’s tone.
Learner examples
I fell asleep because of the monotony of his voice.
Elaludtam a hangja egyhangúsága miatt.
The teacher tried to avoid monotony by changing her tone.
A tanárnő igyekezett elkerülni az egyhangúságot azzal, hogy változtatott a hanghordozásán.
Listeners will not enjoy the podcast if there is too much monotony in the host’s speech.
Common mistake:
Learners often use "monotone" instead of "monotony" for voices. "Monotone" is more common to describe how someone speaks ("He spoke in a monotone"), while "monotony" usually describes the general quality or effect ("The monotony of his voice put me to sleep").
Meaning
unvarying, flat quality of sound
Collocations
the monotony of his voice
|spoken with a weary monotony
|a droning monotony
|monotony in her delivery
Synonyms
droning (Suggests a low, continuous, often annoying sound with little change.)
|
flatness (Emphasizes lack of emotional color or pitch change; broader and less formal than "monotony.")
Antonyms
expressiveness (Highlights varied pitch and emotion in a voice or sound, the opposite of a dull, unchanging tone.)
Themes
communication
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A flat way of speaking or sound where the pitch does not change, which can sound boring.
The dull quality of a voice, sound, or musical line that stays at almost the same pitch and tone, with little or no variation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
monotony
IPA
GB/mənˈɑtəni/
US/mənˈɑtəni/
Syllables & stress
mono - tony (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (tony)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: monotony
- Plural: monotony
Word family
Core family
monotonous
adjective B2
monotonously
adverb C1
Related words
monotone
noun
Advanced or less common
monotonic
adjective
monotonically
adverb
Expressions
break the monotony
1/bɹˈeɪk ðə mənˈɑtəni/
fixed phrase
interrupt a boring sameness
To do something different so that a boring routine does not feel the same all the time.
Examples
- They played music in the office to break the monotony of data entry.
- Taking a walk at lunch can help break the monotony of sitting at a desk all day.
escape the monotony
1/ɪskˈeɪp ðə mənˈɑtəni/
fixed phrase
get away from boring routine
To leave or change a life or situation that feels boring and always the same.
Examples
- He moved to the city to escape the monotony of village life.
- Many people travel on weekends to escape the monotony of their workweek.
relieve the monotony
1/ɹɪlˈiv ðə mənˈɑtəni/
fixed phrase
make boring routine less dull
To make a long, boring situation feel less boring, usually by adding a small change or pleasure.
Examples
- She listens to podcasts to relieve the monotony of her commute.
- Bright pictures on the wall help relieve the monotony of the hospital corridor.
the monotony of everyday life
1/ðə mənˈɑtəni əv ˈɛvɹidˈeɪ lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
boring sameness of daily routine
The feeling that normal daily life is always the same and therefore boring.
Examples
- Hobbies can help people deal with the monotony of everyday life.
- She started painting as a way to escape the monotony of everyday life.