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
Bud Light’s tepid response also angered LGBTQ rights advocates.
—
Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
The Ravens need the 2021 first-round pick to take another step forward and become a weekly difference-maker on a defense that can’t afford to repeat last year’s slow start or tepid finish in Buffalo.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 2 June 2025
The film received the most tepid reviews of Wes Anderson’s career, but its reputation has grown in recent years.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
The spike brought undergraduate enrollment to 1% shy of 2019 levels, assuaging some concerns about tepid interest in higher education.
—Jackie Valley, Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tepid
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Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
The Ravens need the 2021 first-round pick to take another step forward and become a weekly difference-maker on a defense that can’t afford to repeat last year’s slow start or tepid finish in Buffalo.
—Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 2 June 2025
The film received the most tepid reviews of Wes Anderson’s career, but its reputation has grown in recent years.
—Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
The spike brought undergraduate enrollment to 1% shy of 2019 levels, assuaging some concerns about tepid interest in higher education.
—Jackie Valley, Christian Science Monitor, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tepid
Cite this Entry
“Tepid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tepid. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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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