monotonous
gb/mənˈɑtənəs/ us/mənˈɑtənəs/
B2
English
~ 6800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
boring because it never changes
Always the same and therefore boring to do, hear, or look at.
Usage pattern:
a monotonous [activity/thing]; [something] is monotonous
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "monotonous" when they only mean "single" or "simple" (e.g., *a monotonous meal* to mean a meal with only one dish). "Monotonous" usually suggests that something is repeated again and again and feels boring, not just that there is one item.
Synonyms
boring (More general and common; not limited to repetition as the cause of boredom.)
|
tedious (Focuses on something being long and tiring; similar level of formality.)
|
repetitive (Describes frequent repetition; does not always imply boredom as strongly as "monotonous".)
Antonyms
exciting (Highlights strong interest and energy, the opposite of dullness.)
|
varied (Emphasizes having many different kinds, the opposite of being always the same.)
|
interesting (General opposite of boring, without implying repetition.)
Collocations
monotonous job
|monotonous routine
|monotonous work
|monotonous life
|monotonous task
|monotonous landscape
Themes
daily_life
|work
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After a few months, the office work became monotonous and she started looking for a new job.
- He was tired of his monotonous routine of work, dinner, and sleep.
- The long, flat road and brown fields made the drive across the desert feel monotonous.
- Students often find the class monotonous when the teacher only reads from the book.
- The movie dragged on with a monotonous plot that never surprised the audience.
Learner examples
- My job is monotonous, and I do the same thing every day.
- He left the factory because the work was too monotonous for him.
- The town is small and quiet, and life there can be monotonous.
- She wants to travel because her daily life feels monotonous.
- The music in the store was slow and monotonous, and it made me sleepy.
adjective
B2
property
2
with one flat, unchanging tone
Spoken or musical sound that stays on the same note and does not rise or fall, so it sounds flat and boring.
Usage pattern:
a monotonous [voice/tone/sound]; [someone] speaks in a monotonous voice
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "monotonous" with "monotone" for voices. "Monotonous" is an adjective for the sound (a monotonous voice), while "monotone" is often used as a noun (He spoke in a monotone) or adjective (a monotone voice). Both are correct, but their grammar is different.
Synonyms
flat (Commonly used for voices; suggests little or no change in pitch or emotion.)
|
droning (Suggests a low, continuous, often annoying sound; more informal and vivid.)
|
toneless (Emphasizes lack of expressiveness as well as limited pitch change.)
Antonyms
expressive (Describes speech with varied pitch and emotion, opposite of dull and flat.)
|
lively (Focuses on energy and variation in voice or sound.)
|
animated (Highlights active, changing intonation and emotion in speech.)
Collocations
monotonous voice
|monotonous tone
|monotonous drone
|monotonous speech
|monotonous chanting
Themes
communication
|arts
|education
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The lecturer's monotonous voice made it hard for students to stay awake.
- He read the story in such a monotonous tone that the children quickly lost interest.
- The chant rose and fell at first, then settled into a slow, monotonous drone.
- Listening to the announcement in a monotonous voice for an hour was exhausting.
- Her performance was criticized for being emotionally flat and monotonous in delivery.
Learner examples
- The teacher spoke in a monotonous voice, and the students looked bored.
- He reads the news in a clear but monotonous tone.
- The speech was long and monotonous, with no change in voice.
- She tried not to sound monotonous when she gave her presentation.
- The old machine made a low, monotonous sound all night.
Grammar
Dictionary form
monotonous
IPA
GB/mənˈɑtənəs/
US/mənˈɑtənəs/
Syllables & stress
mono - ton - ous (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ton)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: monotonous
Word family
Core family
monotony
noun B2
monotonously
adverb C1
Related words
monotone
noun
Advanced or less common
monotonic
adjective
monotonically
adverb
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.