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
Examples of tepid in a Sentence
He gave a tepid performance.
My suggestion was given a tepid response.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yes, 2023 was a tepid year for California’s business climate.
—
Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
Raja Feather Kelly fills Riccardo Hernández’s striking stage design, with its nods to Lempicka’s industrial skyscrapers, with tepid, rote choreography.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
That could boost Biden, whose approval-disapproval rating was still decidedly tepid, at 41%-55%.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024
Although those tepid grades aren’t unusual for the horror genre, a debut under $10 million is not a promising sign for its commercial prospects.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
The tepid comeback is yet another blow to the Los Angeles economy, where countless ancillary businesses — florists, marketing agencies, dry cleaners — are supported by entertainment.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
That optimism seems to be the consensus among analysts, including Goldman Sachs’ chief economist: The ruthless economic pains of a recession, such as mass layoffs and tepid consumer spending, probably won’t happen anytime soon.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
With the Iraq war raging in 2004, Mr. Haidt, a registered Democrat, took his dog on evening walks around Charlottesville and thought about why his party was waging such a tepid campaign against George W. Bush.
—Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The apparel retailer soared on a 21% increase in 2023 sales of $1.45 billion—up from $1.2 billion the year before—but tepid sales growth predictions for 2024 have halted its skyrocketing stock.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024
Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2024
Raja Feather Kelly fills Riccardo Hernández’s striking stage design, with its nods to Lempicka’s industrial skyscrapers, with tepid, rote choreography.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
That could boost Biden, whose approval-disapproval rating was still decidedly tepid, at 41%-55%.
—Susan Page, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024
Although those tepid grades aren’t unusual for the horror genre, a debut under $10 million is not a promising sign for its commercial prospects.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
The tepid comeback is yet another blow to the Los Angeles economy, where countless ancillary businesses — florists, marketing agencies, dry cleaners — are supported by entertainment.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2024
That optimism seems to be the consensus among analysts, including Goldman Sachs’ chief economist: The ruthless economic pains of a recession, such as mass layoffs and tepid consumer spending, probably won’t happen anytime soon.
—Bryan Mena, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024
With the Iraq war raging in 2004, Mr. Haidt, a registered Democrat, took his dog on evening walks around Charlottesville and thought about why his party was waging such a tepid campaign against George W. Bush.
—Emma Goldberg, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024
The apparel retailer soared on a 21% increase in 2023 sales of $1.45 billion—up from $1.2 billion the year before—but tepid sales growth predictions for 2024 have halted its skyrocketing stock.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tepid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tepid
Cite this Entry
“Tepid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tepid. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tepid
adjective
tep·id
ˈtep-əd 
1
: lukewarm
a tepid bath
2
: lacking enthusiasm or conviction : halfhearted
a tepid response
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