insipid

adjective

in·sip·id in-ˈsi-pəd How to pronounce insipid (audio)

: lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge : dull, flat

insipid prose

: lacking taste or savor : tasteless

insipid food

insipidity

ˌin-sə-ˈpi-də-tē How to pronounce insipid (audio)

noun

insipidly

in-ˈsi-pəd-lē How to pronounce insipid (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

Insipid vs. Incipient

There are those who claim that these two words are commonly confused, though the collected evidence in our files don’t support that claim (in edited prose, that is). If there is confusion, it is likely because incipient is sometimes used in constructions where its meaning is not clear.

Insipid is less common than incipient, but it is used more in general prose and with much more clarity than incipient is. Insipid means “weak,” and it can refer to people (“insipid hangers-on”), things (“what an insipid idea,” “painted the room an insipid blue,” “he gave his boss an insipid smile”), and specifically flavors or foods (“an insipid soup,” “the cocktail was insipid and watery”).

Incipient, on the other hand, is more common than insipid is and means “beginning to come into being or become apparent.” It has general use (“an incipient idea,” “incipient racial tensions”), but also has extensive specialized use in medicine (“an incipient disease”) and other scientific fields (“an incipient star in a distant galaxy”). But general use of incipient is sometime vague at best:

But devaluing grand slams to 3 1/2 runs has irked even the guys it was meant to pacify. "They're messing with the game," says incipient slugger Randy Johnson (three grannies already this spring). "Not to mention my RBI totals."
— ESPN, 14 June 1999

Among my generation of aesthetes, bohemians, proto-dropouts, and incipient eternal students at Sydney University in the late 1950s, Robert Hughes was the golden boy.
— Clive James, The New York Review, 11 Jan. 2007

This menu looks traditional but embraces ingredients and ideas that have become incipient classics in American cuisine, such as portobello mushrooms, fresh mozzarella and mango.
— Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 30 Nov. 1995

Incipient is rarely used of people, and so the first example is an atypical use of the word. As for the other examples, can something that is just beginning to emerge be eternal, or a classic? Uses like this tend to confuse the reader.

If you find yourself unsure of which word to use, follow the rule that when referring to someone or something weak, use insipid, and when referring to something that is newly apparent or newly begun, use incipient.

Example Sentences

While it is fashionable to write off that decade as an insipid time, one long pajama party, the '50s, in sport at least, were a revolutionary age.

Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 27 Dec. 1999–31 Jan. 2000 I'd climbed and fished in the emptiest reaches of the American West, but Alaska made the wilds of the lower 48 seem insipid and tame, a toothless simulacrum.

Jon Krakauer, Smithsonian, June 1995 By contrast, what we know as "popular" or "mass" culture has always conformed to the most insipid prejudices, and the least subtle formulations, of society.

Joyce Carol Oates, The Profane Art, 1983 One evening, over beers, Rasala complained about some insipid movie recently shown on TV.

Tracy Kidder, The Soul of a New Machine, 1981 The soup was rather insipid. an apple pie with a mushy, insipid filling that strongly resembled soggy cardboard See More

Recent Examples on the Web Add the insipid voice (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth now, Dickie Jones then) and Pinocchio is hard to warm to.

John Anderson, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 In a video by Caitlin Reilly that mocks insipid wedding vows delivered with maximum vocal fry, Babel noted that commenters tried to capture the timing of the speech by giving syllables prominence.

New York Times, 17 Aug. 2022 Russell demanded Boston’s respect as a man and rejected its tardy and insipid adulation as an icon.

Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2022 One winemaker told me a few years ago that much of the pinot blanc in Alsace was from a clone developed for quantity rather than quality, so this was an effort to avoid insipid wines.

New York Times, 24 June 2022 We were subjected to that insipid stat in the Eastern Conference finals.

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2022 Instead, after an insipid opening to the evening, Rising found life, using a late Luis Seijas goal to beat Miami FC, 2-1.

Theo Mackie, The Arizona Republic, 23 Apr. 2022 This error leads to grainy, insipid meat that just tastes salty on the surface.

Jeffrey Gardner, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2022 Putting a black actor in a black-and-white Macbeth is insipid.

Armond White, National Review, 25 Mar. 2022 See More

insipid

adjective

as in bland

lacking in taste or flavor an apple pie with a mushy, insipid filling that strongly resembled soggy cardboard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bland
tasteless
thin
plain
flavorless
weak
unsavory
flat
savorless
dilute
dead
watery
unflavored

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loathsome
disgusting
distasteful
tasty
tasteful
unpalatable
flavorful
sickening
unappetizing
savory
mawkish
cloying
delicious
delectable
sapid
palatable
savoury
appetizing
flavorsome
piquant
spicy
rich
heavy
flavored
keen
seasoned
toothsome

as in boring

lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character an insipid and somewhat boring movie about teenagers in love

Synonyms & Similar Words

bland
boring
banal
dull
tiring
vapid
weak
subdued
uninteresting
inane
wishy-washy
watery
unexciting
uninspiring
monotonous
namby-pamby
lifeless
tedious
flat
drab
tiresome
humdrum
heavy
dreary
wearying
milk-and-water
innocuous
unrewarding
weary
ponderous
wearisome
dry
pedestrian
leaden
inoffensive
ordinary
mild
unexceptional
soft
tame
commonplace
jading
stale
common

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

piquant
pungent
poignant
spicy
racy
substantial
entertaining
exciting
inspiring
thrilling
meaty
invigorating
galvanizing

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of insipid are banal, flat, inane, jejune, and vapid. While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest.

an insipid romance with platitudes on every page

In some situations, the words banal and insipid are roughly equivalent. However, banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy.

a banal tale of unrequited love

The words flat and insipid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest.

although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat

The meanings of inane and insipid largely overlap; however, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality.

an inane interpretation of the play

Although the words jejune and insipid have much in common, jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance.

a jejune and gassy speech

The words vapid and insipid can be used in similar contexts, but vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit.

an exciting story given a vapid treatment

单词	insipid
释义	insipid adjective in·sip·id in-ˈsi-pəd 1 : lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge : dull, flat insipid prose 2 : lacking taste or savor : tasteless insipid food insipidity ˌin-sə-ˈpi-də-tē noun insipidly in-ˈsi-pəd-lē adverb Did you know? Insipid vs. Incipient There are those who claim that these two words are commonly confused, though the collected evidence in our files don’t support that claim (in edited prose, that is). If there is confusion, it is likely because incipient is sometimes used in constructions where its meaning is not clear. Insipid is less common than incipient, but it is used more in general prose and with much more clarity than incipient is. Insipid means “weak,” and it can refer to people (“insipid hangers-on”), things (“what an insipid idea,” “painted the room an insipid blue,” “he gave his boss an insipid smile”), and specifically flavors or foods (“an insipid soup,” “the cocktail was insipid and watery”). Incipient, on the other hand, is more common than insipid is and means “beginning to come into being or become apparent.” It has general use (“an incipient idea,” “incipient racial tensions”), but also has extensive specialized use in medicine (“an incipient disease”) and other scientific fields (“an incipient star in a distant galaxy”). But general use of incipient is sometime vague at best: But devaluing grand slams to 3 1/2 runs has irked even the guys it was meant to pacify. "They're messing with the game," says incipient slugger Randy Johnson (three grannies already this spring). "Not to mention my RBI totals." — ESPN, 14 June 1999 Among my generation of aesthetes, bohemians, proto-dropouts, and incipient eternal students at Sydney University in the late 1950s, Robert Hughes was the golden boy. — Clive James, The New York Review, 11 Jan. 2007 This menu looks traditional but embraces ingredients and ideas that have become incipient classics in American cuisine, such as portobello mushrooms, fresh mozzarella and mango. — Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 30 Nov. 1995 Incipient is rarely used of people, and so the first example is an atypical use of the word. As for the other examples, can something that is just beginning to emerge be eternal, or a classic? Uses like this tend to confuse the reader. If you find yourself unsure of which word to use, follow the rule that when referring to someone or something weak, use insipid, and when referring to something that is newly apparent or newly begun, use incipient. Synonyms dead flat flavorless savorless tasteless unsavory See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences While it is fashionable to write off that decade as an insipid time, one long pajama party, the '50s, in sport at least, were a revolutionary age. Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 27 Dec. 1999–31 Jan. 2000 I'd climbed and fished in the emptiest reaches of the American West, but Alaska made the wilds of the lower 48 seem insipid and tame, a toothless simulacrum. Jon Krakauer, Smithsonian, June 1995 By contrast, what we know as "popular" or "mass" culture has always conformed to the most insipid prejudices, and the least subtle formulations, of society. Joyce Carol Oates, The Profane Art, 1983 One evening, over beers, Rasala complained about some insipid movie recently shown on TV. Tracy Kidder, The Soul of a New Machine, 1981 The soup was rather insipid. an apple pie with a mushy, insipid filling that strongly resembled soggy cardboard See More Recent Examples on the Web Add the insipid voice (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth now, Dickie Jones then) and Pinocchio is hard to warm to. John Anderson, WSJ, 8 Sep. 2022 In a video by Caitlin Reilly that mocks insipid wedding vows delivered with maximum vocal fry, Babel noted that commenters tried to capture the timing of the speech by giving syllables prominence. New York Times, 17 Aug. 2022 Russell demanded Boston’s respect as a man and rejected its tardy and insipid adulation as an icon. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Aug. 2022 One winemaker told me a few years ago that much of the pinot blanc in Alsace was from a clone developed for quantity rather than quality, so this was an effort to avoid insipid wines. New York Times, 24 June 2022 We were subjected to that insipid stat in the Eastern Conference finals. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2022 Instead, after an insipid opening to the evening, Rising found life, using a late Luis Seijas goal to beat Miami FC, 2-1. Theo Mackie, The Arizona Republic, 23 Apr. 2022 This error leads to grainy, insipid meat that just tastes salty on the surface. Jeffrey Gardner, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2022 Putting a black actor in a black-and-white Macbeth is insipid. Armond White, National Review, 25 Mar. 2022 See More Word History Etymology French & Late Latin; French insipide, from Late Latin insipidus, from Latin in- + sapidus savory, from sapere to taste — more at sage First Known Use 1609, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Kids Definition insipid adjective in·sip·id in-ˈsi-pəd 1 : having little taste or flavor 2 : not interesting or challenging insipid adjective 1 as in bland lacking in taste or flavor an apple pie with a mushy, insipid filling that strongly resembled soggy cardboard Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance bland tasteless thin plain flavorless weak unsavory flat savorless dilute dead watery unflavored Antonyms & Near Antonyms loathsome disgusting distasteful tasty tasteful unpalatable flavorful sickening unappetizing savory mawkish cloying delicious delectable sapid palatable savoury appetizing flavorsome piquant spicy rich heavy flavored keen seasoned toothsome See More 2 as in boring lacking in qualities that make for spirit and character an insipid and somewhat boring movie about teenagers in love Synonyms & Similar Words bland boring banal dull tiring vapid weak subdued uninteresting inane wishy-washy watery unexciting uninspiring monotonous namby-pamby lifeless tedious flat drab tiresome humdrum heavy dreary wearying milk-and-water innocuous unrewarding weary ponderous wearisome dry pedestrian leaden inoffensive ordinary mild unexceptional soft tame commonplace jading stale common Antonyms & Near Antonyms piquant pungent poignant spicy racy substantial entertaining exciting inspiring thrilling meaty invigorating galvanizing See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of insipid are banal, flat, inane, jejune, and vapid. While all these words mean "devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character," insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest. an insipid romance with platitudes on every page In some situations, the words banal and insipid are roughly equivalent. However, banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy. a banal tale of unrequited love The words flat and insipid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest. although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat The meanings of inane and insipid largely overlap; however, inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality. an inane interpretation of the play Although the words jejune and insipid have much in common, jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance. a jejune and gassy speech The words vapid and insipid can be used in similar contexts, but vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit. an exciting story given a vapid treatment
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insipid

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser