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
Explanation
Something lukewarm is just a teeny bit warm. Lukewarm feelings are also not very strong. Lukewarm is a word for things that are warm, but only barely. A forgotten cup of hot coffee will get lukewarm before it eventually gets cold. It's disappointing when food at a restaurant is served lukewarm; most people like their food hot. Also, people can have lukewarm feelings and reactions. If someone asks you out to lunch and you say, "Well, I guess that would be OK," that's a lukewarm response.
Vocabulary lists containing lukewarm
Ungifted
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Prisoner B-3087
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Gregor the Overlander
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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.
Its prospects seemed dim amid the president’s threats and a lukewarm response from Iranian leaders, who dismissed the president’s diplomatic overtures as “unrealistic” and denying direct talks with the United States.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
I asked for an ice cube for my lukewarm California Sauvignon Blanc at one point.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
The lukewarm response from European capitals came after Japan and Australia voiced similar sentiments earlier Monday, with Canberra noting it would not be sending a navy ship to the Strait of Hormuz.
From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026
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 morning was cold, with only lukewarm, coffee-flavored water to fight off the chill.
From "Prisoner B-3087" by Alan Gratz
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.
