monotonous
The monotonous drone of the factory machinery made the workers drowsy.
The constant, unchanging sound of the factory machines caused the workers to feel sleepy.
Dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety and interest.
She found her new job monotonous after years of exciting travel.
She felt her new job was boring and repetitive after many years of exciting travel.
The landscape was monotonous, with endless fields of wheat stretching to the horizon.
The view was unchanging, featuring only vast fields of wheat that seemed to go on forever.
Often used to describe sounds, tasks, or environments that lack variation or stimulation.
Collocations
Pro Tip
Avoid repetition
When describing a monotonous task, pair 'monotonous' with a verb to clarify the action, e.g., 'performing monotonous tasks' instead of just 'monotonous.'
Gold Rule
Context matters
Use 'monotonous' to emphasize the lack of variety or stimulation, not just the passage of time. Compare: 'The meeting was long' (neutral) vs. 'The meeting was monotonous' (implies dullness).
Word Origin
From Latin *monotonus*, from Greek *monotonos* (μονοτόνoς), meaning 'having one tone,' from *mono-* (μόνος, 'single') + *tonos* (τόνος, 'tone'). The word entered English in the 18th century, initially in a musical sense, before extending to describe anything lacking in variation.
Usage Notes
Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe tasks, sounds, or environments that feel unchanging or dull. Avoid overusing it in creative writing; opt for more vivid synonyms like 'dreary' or 'tedious' for stylistic variety.