monotonous
/məˈnɒtənəs/
Group 16Difficulty 1/3
Definition
- (adjective)
- Dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interest GRE
Example in Context
The monotonous routine of the assembly line wore down even the most resilient workers over the course of a twelve-hour shift.
Synonyms
repetitiveboringtedious
Etymology
Single tone, indicating dullness and lack of variety.
- mono- (Greek) — one/single
- tonus (Greek) — tone
Memory Aid
🎶Sounds like “mono tone us”
My karaoke night was so MONOTONOUS, it felt like a MONO TONE singing to US!
Visual Association
😴A person nodding off at a boring lecture, surrounded by snoozing classmates.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “monotonous” mean on the GRE?
monotonous (adjective) means “Dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interest”. The monotonous routine of the assembly line wore down even the most resilient workers over the course of a twelve-hour shift.
How to remember “monotonous” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “monotonous” sounds like “mono tone us”. My karaoke night was so MONOTONOUS, it felt like a MONO TONE singing to US!
What are synonyms for “monotonous”?
Common synonyms: repetitive, boring, tedious.