Some hours crawl and some fly. This topic gives you words for both ends: for the things that bore us and the moods boredom brings, and for the things that grab our attention and won’t let go.
Key idea
Boring things: tedious (long and tiresome), monotonous (the same, over and over). Bored people: indifferent (not caring), jaded (worn out by too much), blasé (unimpressed), and the feeling itself, ennui. Interested people: engrossed, rapt, intrigued. And the verb that starts it all: to pique someone’s interest.
Notice the difference between a thing and a person. A lecture is tedious; the student listening to it is bored or indifferent. A story is fascinating; the listener is rapt.
The ten words
Common mistake
You pique interest (stir it), not "peak" or "peek" it. indifferent can mean uninterested or merely ordinary (an indifferent cook).
| describes | bored side | interested side |
|---|---|---|
| the thing | tedious, monotonous | intriguing, engrossing |
| the person | indifferent, jaded, blasé | engrossed, rapt, intrigued |
| the feeling | ennui | curiosity, fascination |
| the action | (to bore) | to pique interest |
Common mistake
You pique someone’s interest: you stir it up. You do not “peak” it (reach the top) or “peek” it (glance). The three words sound the same, which is why the hook above uses a peek to remember the spelling of the one that stirs.