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
Underlying demand numbers in the Commerce Department report were mostly weak, while consumer spending increased from the first quarter but was still tepid.
—
Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
Her output since, including Stranger’s second season, has been tepid.
—Geoffrey Bunting, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
Wall Street had entered the earnings week with tepid expectations, citing declining sales, compressed margins, and elevated spending on research and development as factors dampening short-term prospects.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 July 2025
The show was never a critical favorite; reviews on Broadway were tepid, for the most part.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tepid
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Jeff Cox, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
Her output since, including Stranger’s second season, has been tepid.
—Geoffrey Bunting, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
Wall Street had entered the earnings week with tepid expectations, citing declining sales, compressed margins, and elevated spending on research and development as factors dampening short-term prospects.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 July 2025
The show was never a critical favorite; reviews on Broadway were tepid, for the most part.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 July 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 4 Aug. 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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