tedium

Tedium is the state or quality of being tedious; a feeling of weariness and dullness caused by monotony or repetitive, unvaried tasks. It is commonly used to describe everyday experiences that are slow, lengthy, or lacking in engagement. The term originates in Latin taedium, taedii, meaning weariness or aversion, and entered English in the late Middle Ages via Old French. In discourse, tedium may refer to the subjective experience of boredom as well as the objective dullness of a situation. Tedium differs from boredom in that it emphasizes the dullness of duration and the fatigue of repetition rather than a transient interest or curiosity.

In practice, tedium arises when tasks are highly repetitive, have low cognitive stimulation, or offer little feedback or meaning. It can affect work, education, and leisure, reducing attention, motivation, and performance, and contributing to fatigue or disengagement. Some strategies to mitigate tedium include increasing task variety and autonomy, introducing meaningful goals or feedback, altering pacing, and designing tasks to provide a sense of purpose or progress. In literature and rhetoric, tedium can be used stylistically to convey a character's weariness or to critique social or bureaucratic routines.

See also boredom, ennui, monotony, fatigue, engagement.