tepid

adjective

tep·​id ˈte-pəd 

1

: moderately warm : lukewarm

a tepid bath

2

a

: lacking in passion, force, or zest

tepid poetry

b

: marked by an absence of enthusiasm or conviction

a tepid interest

a tepid response

tepidity

tə-ˈpi-də-tē 

te-

noun

tepidly

ˈte-pəd-lē 

adverb

tepidness noun

Synonyms

• neutral
• lukewarm
• halfhearted
• unenthusiastic

Examples of tepid in a Sentence

He gave a tepid performance.

My suggestion was given a tepid response.

Recent Examples on the Web

Its soothing, strengthening, and hydrating properties would surely do my complexion well in the dry, tepid desert, but these benefits certainly ring true in any climate! —Deanna Pai, Vogue, 22 Oct. 2025

The tepid response sent Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena looking elsewhere, and Union Pacific quickly struck a deal with another railroad, Norfolk Southern. —Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025

Those relatively low numbers—which helped explain Salesforce’s rather tepid recent revenue growth—had been weighing on Salesforce’s stock. —Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025

After back-to-back relegations and a tepid start to League One, this once upbeat and intimidating stadium had gone stale. —Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English teped, from Latin tepidus, from tepēre to be moderately warm; akin to Sanskrit tapati it heats, Old Irish tess heat

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tepid

• intrepid

Kids Definition

tepid

adjective

tep·​id ˈtep-əd 

1

: lukewarm

a tepid bath

2

: lacking enthusiasm or conviction : halfhearted

a tepid response