boring
boring Lexical Profile
boring Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Not interesting; tedious, dull, or causing weariness and impatience.
"The three-hour lecture on tax regulations was so boring that half the audience struggled to stay awake."
• noun
The act or process of drilling, piercing, or enlarging a cylindrical hole in a solid material such as wood, metal, or rock.
"The construction crew completed the boring of the mountain tunnel two months ahead of schedule."
A hole made by drilling, or the fragments, shavings, and core samples produced by a drill or auger (often used in the plural).
"Geologists analyzed the soil borings taken from the site to determine if the bedrock could support the bridge."
Word Nuance & Usage
Learners often confuse 'boring' and 'bored': 'boring' describes the thing or person that causes weariness (e.g., "a boring lecture"), whereas 'bored' describes the emotional state of the person experiencing that weariness (e.g., "the students felt bored").
• Rhymes for boring
Word Origin & Etymology
The sense of piercing or drilling derives from Old English 'borian', from a Proto-Germanic root meaning an auger or drill. The sense of wearying someone by being dull or tedious emerged in the late 18th century, likely as a figurative extension of slowly and relentlessly drilling into someone's patience.