mundane
UK /mʌnˈdeɪn/ US /mʌnˈdeɪn/ Syllables: mun-dane
Quick answer
Very ordinary and not interesting or exciting.
Mundane describes things that are ordinary, routine and a little boring, the kind of tasks that fill most days: washing dishes, filling in forms, waiting in a queue. It is not a harsh word, and it can be said without complaint. A mundane job is simply a plain one, though people often use the word when they wish life held more excitement. Writers also use it to set the everyday against the magical or the extraordinary.
"Most of the job involves mundane paperwork."Meanings
- Ordinary and lacking excitement, because it is part of everyday life.
- Concerned with the practical, everyday world rather than with spiritual or ideal things.
Example sentences
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"She hated the mundane chores of housework."
Level B2, Meaning 1
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"Most of his job is mundane, but he enjoys the people."
Level C1, Meaning 1
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"The novel turns the mundane details of a small town into a gripping story."
Level C1, Meaning 1
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"They talked about mundane matters such as bills and shopping."
Level C1, Meaning 2
Synonyms and antonyms
Antonyms
Look-alikes and common mistakes
- boring : Boring says you dislike it. Mundane only says it is ordinary and everyday, so it can be neutral.
- worldly : Worldly means experienced in the ways of the world. It shares a root with mundane but is not about boredom.
Word family and forms
Word partners
Words and phrases that often go with "mundane".
- mundane tasks
- mundane details
- mundane routine
- mundane existence
- a mundane job
- the mundane side of life
Origin
Mundane comes from Latin mundanus, which means of the world, and that comes from mundus, the Latin word for world. It reached English in the 1400s by way of Middle French mondain, so it first pointed to the everyday world around us and later to the ordinary routine of it.
Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.
How to remember it
Mundane sounds like Monday, the day when the same old chores begin again.
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "She hated the _____ chores of housework."
Answer: mundane
In your own words, what does "mundane" mean?
Very ordinary and not interesting or exciting.
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Sources and credits
- Wiktionary, the free dictionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
- Dictionary.com · used for the origin · checked Oct 19, 2026
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Report a mistake on this page