Lukewarm Definition & Meaning

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    • Synonyms lukewarm American [look-wawrm] / ˈlukˈwɔrm /

    adjective

    1. moderately warm; tepid.

    2. having or showing little ardor, zeal, or enthusiasm; indifferent.

      lukewarm applause.

      Synonyms: apathetic, cool, halfhearted
    lukewarm British / ˌluːkˈwɔːm /

    adjective

    1. (esp of water) moderately warm; tepid

    2. having or expressing little enthusiasm or conviction

    "Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

    Other Word Forms

    • lukewarmly adverb
    • lukewarmness noun
    • lukewarmth noun

    Etymology

    Origin of lukewarm

    1350–1400; Middle English lukewarme tepid, equivalent to luke tepid (unexplained alteration of lew, Old English gehlēow tepid) + warme warm

    Example Sentences

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    Dodds got a lukewarm reception when she presented the idea at a town council meeting this summer.

    From The Wall Street Journal

    Of the stocks mentioned, Wall Street is lukewarm on most.

    From Barron's

    But lukewarm jobs data and retailers’ shaky consumer outlooks could chip away at Wall Street’s projections for corporate earnings growth, which is key to the market’s chances for big gains next year.

    From Barron's

    But lukewarm jobs data and retailers’ shaky consumer outlooks could chip away at Wall Street’s projections for corporate earnings growth, which is key to the market’s chances for big gains next year.

    From Barron's

    Between the lukewarm financial results and the turnaround efforts touted by executives, the report seemed to have enough to bolster both the bull and the bear case, wrote Christopher Horvers, an analyst at J.P.

    From Barron's

    Related Words

    • apathetic
    • chilly
    • halfhearted
    • hesitant
    • indecisive
    • tepid
    • uncertain
    • uncommitted

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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