1
: moderately warm : lukewarm
a tepid bath
2
a
: lacking in passion, force, or zest
tepid poetry
b
: marked by an absence of enthusiasm or conviction
a tepid interest
a tepid response
Examples of tepid in a Sentence
He gave a tepid performance.
My suggestion was given a tepid response.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle signaled support for passing legal protections for IVF, though many Republicans were more tepid in their statements following the court decision.
—
Solcyré Burga, TIME, 12 June 2024
Judging by the tepid response to the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, starring Industry’s Marisa Abela, the answer is, No, no, no.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 23 May 2024
The tepid response to China’s coercion strategy thus far from the United States and its allies has done little to discourage leaders in Beijing.
—Isaac Kardon, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2024
The same congressional committee pushed for the ousters of presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, who faced backlash for tepid responses to whether calling for the genocide of Jews violates school rules.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for tepid 
Solcyré Burga, TIME, 12 June 2024
Judging by the tepid response to the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, starring Industry’s Marisa Abela, the answer is, No, no, no.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 23 May 2024
The tepid response to China’s coercion strategy thus far from the United States and its allies has done little to discourage leaders in Beijing.
—Isaac Kardon, Foreign Affairs, 21 May 2024
The same congressional committee pushed for the ousters of presidents of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, who faced backlash for tepid responses to whether calling for the genocide of Jews violates school rules.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for tepid
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tepid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tepid
Cite this Entry
“Tepid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tepid. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tepid
adjective
tep·id
ˈtep-əd 
1
: lukewarm
a tepid bath
2
: lacking enthusiasm or conviction : halfhearted
a tepid response
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