bored stiff
Meaning
Extremely bored; so bored you feel almost numb or unable to stay engaged.
Origin
Uses “stiff” as an intensifier meaning “to the point of being rigid/numb.” Similar patterns exist in phrases like “scared stiff,” popular in 19th–20th century colloquial English.
Notes
Colloquial and emphatic. Used to complain about an event, task, or wait being extremely boring; slightly informal.
Examples
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I was bored stiff during the three-hour lecture.
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We got bored stiff waiting for the delayed train.
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He looked bored stiff at the party and kept checking his phone.
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I’m bored stiff with this routine—let’s do something different tonight.
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The kids were bored stiff on the long drive until we started playing games.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Typically used as an adjective complement: “be/get bored stiff.” Less common attributively, but possible: “a bored-stiff audience.” Not usually pluralized or re-ordered.
Synonyms
- bored to death
- bored out of my mind
- bored senseless
- dead bored
Antonyms
- fascinated
- engrossed
- captivated
- entertained