monotony
muh-NOT-uh-nee
/məˈnɒt.ən.i/
Lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine.
Focuses on sameness of tone, color, or action that wears down the human mind.
The story behind the word. Derived from Ancient Greek 'monotonia' via French. Literally translating to 'single tone', it described speaking or singing in an unchanging pitch before expanding to describe any repetitive, unvarying experience.
Word relationships
- sameness: Sameness is simple lack of difference; monotony implies that the sameness causes dull fatigue.
- routine: Routine is a regular sequence that can be positive or neutral; monotony is wearisome sameness.
- variety: Variety offers refreshing differences and dynamic changes.
- diversity: Diversity represents a rich range of different elements.
Commonly confused with
- monopoly: Monopoly is complete control of a market; monotony is tedious sameness.
Word family
- monotonous (adjective): Dull, tedious, and repetitious; lacking in variety.
- monotonously (adverb): In a dull, repetitive, single-toned way.
Collocations
- break the monotony
- relieve monotony
- drab monotony
- daily monotony
Idioms & expressions
- the humdrum monotony of daily life
Example sentences
- "The endless monotony of assembling plastic boxes made the five-hour shift feel like five days." Workplace life
- "Driving across the flat, featureless plain broke the monotony only when an occasional farm appeared." Travel literature
Memory hook
MONO (one) + TONE = One single boring sound repeated forever. One tone over and over.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a single sudden event; it requires repetitive duration.
Fun facts
- Monotony was originally a musical critique reserved for singers who could not change key or pitch.
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