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.

    And I think it’s safe to say that the reaction among the public to Bard so far has been pretty lukewarm.

    From New York Times

    Purdue, unlike Virginia, which lost by 20, kept a lukewarm hope into the closing minute, only to see it croak in disarray and send the Knights in blue charging and dancing onto the floor.

    From Washington Post

    The visit comes as Beijing, an ally of Russia, has offered proposals to end the war in Ukraine, which the West has given a lukewarm reception.

    From BBC

    Meanwhile, Western figures gave the proposals a lukewarm reception.

    From BBC

    It is not, however, a place for lukewarm support.

    From Washington Post

    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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