monotony
gb/mənˈɑtəni/ us/mənˈɑtəni/
B2
English
~ 8500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
boredom from unchanging routine
A boring feeling you get when life or an activity is always the same and never changes.
Usage pattern:
the monotony of [an activity / situation]
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.
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.)
Collocations
break the monotony
|escape the monotony
|relieve the monotony
|the monotony of daily life
|dull monotony
|endless monotony
Themes
emotions
|work
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He changed jobs because he couldn’t stand the monotony of office life anymore.
- To break the monotony of studying, she takes a short walk every hour.
- 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.
- The monotony of factory work made him feel very tired and bored.
- Students often complain about the monotony of long online classes.
- She wanted to travel to escape the monotony of her small town.
Noun
C1
property
2
unvarying, flat quality of sound
A flat way of speaking or sound where the pitch does not change, which can sound boring.
Usage pattern:
the monotony of [a voice / sound]
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").
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.)
Collocations
the monotony of his voice
|spoken with a weary monotony
|a droning monotony
|monotony in her delivery
Themes
communication
|arts
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The monotony of the lecturer’s voice made it hard to stay awake.
- Her speech was clear, but the monotony of her delivery failed to keep the audience engaged.
- 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.
- The teacher tried to avoid monotony by changing her tone.
- Listeners will not enjoy the podcast if there is too much monotony in the host’s speech.
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.