tedious: Definition & Meaning for the SAT
⚡️ TEDIOUS most nearly means: (A) exciting; (B) brief; (C) boring; (D) complex. 👉 Answer + examples, pronunciation, and full SAT explanation inside.
TL;DR: Tedious means too long, slow, or dull; tiresome and boring. Mnemonic: “Making TEA is TEDIOUS.” ☕️
ℹ️ Part of Speech of Tedious
tedious is an ADJECTIVE.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Tedious
tedious is pronounced /ˈtiː.di.əs/ or TEE-dee-us.
📚️ Definition of Tedious
Too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous. Causing weariness or boredom by being overly repetitive or drawn out. Example: a tedious wait in line at the DMV.
📰 Examples of Tedious
Here are some examples of the word tedious:
Data entry can be tedious work—typing similar information over and over for a whole work day is the very definition of boring. (Not to mention unhealthy.)
The board meeting became increasingly tedious as two members engaged in one-upmanship over who was better liked at the company.
Learning a new language is rewarding, but memorizing 1000s of new words and verb conjugations can be a tedious process.
✅ Quiz answer
Answer to the question above:
C, boring. Explanations: A is the complete opposite—exciting means thrilling or stimulating, not dull. B doesn't work; brief means short, and while tedious things are often long, the key meaning is that they're boring. D is incorrect; complex means complicated, which is unrelated to being tiresome or dull.
Quick Check on a Previous Word: Paucity
Do you remember the word paucity?