mundane

/mʌnˈdeɪn/

Group 8Difficulty 1/3

Definition

(adjective)
Lacking interest or excitement; dull; of this earthly world rather than spiritual
GRE

Example in Context

The mundane reality of governing—committee meetings, regulatory reviews, budget line items—bore little resemblance to the soaring rhetoric of the campaign trail.

Synonyms

ordinaryeverydayboring

Etymology

Pertaining to the earthly world; often dull.

  • mund- (Latin) — world
  • -ane (Latin) — pertaining to

Memory Aid

🌍Sounds like “moon drain

Imagine the moon DRAINING all excitement from the world, making it MUNDANE!

Visual Association

🛌A person yawning while staring at a grey, boring wall — pure monotony!

Semantic Clusters

Synonym Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “mundane” mean on the GRE?

mundane (adjective) means “Lacking interest or excitement; dull; of this earthly world rather than spiritual”. The mundane reality of governing—committee meetings, regulatory reviews, budget line items—bore little resemblance to the soaring rhetoric of the campaign trail.

How to remember “mundane” for the GRE?

Mnemonic: “mundane” sounds like “moon drain”. Imagine the moon DRAINING all excitement from the world, making it MUNDANE!

What are synonyms for “mundane”?

Common synonyms: ordinary, everyday, boring.