lukewarm
Americanadjective
-
moderately warm; tepid.
-
having or showing little ardor, zeal, or enthusiasm; indifferent.
lukewarm applause.
- Synonyms:
- apathetic, cool, halfhearted
adjective
-
(esp of water) moderately warm; tepid
-
having or expressing little enthusiasm or conviction
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.
Few things are more disappointing than a dish that was clearly meant to be served warm but arrives in a vague state of lukewarm uncertainty.
From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026
The achievements come despite lukewarm reviews for the record, with The Telegraph saying it had "all the emotional heft of a perfume advert".
From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026
The strategy, which received a lukewarm reception from investors, weighed on its stock price on the day.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
Until job creation spreads well beyond healthcare, it would be hard to characterize the labor market as anything but lukewarm.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026
Even the hot pain in my side had become lukewarm, the throbbing in my head had lessened.
From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
