meh
emotive interjection

- expressing a lack of interest or enthusiasm

- used to show that you are not interested in someone, or something, or do not care about him, her, or it

adjective

- uninspiring; unexceptional, mediocre, boring

Oxford English Dictionary, Cambridge Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The exact origin is uncertain, but it's believed to have Yiddish or Hebrew roots. It appears in Alexander Harkavy's 1928 Yiddish-English-Hebrew dictionary, defined as an interjection meaning "be it as it may", and an adjective meaning "so-so".

The expression became more widely known in the 1990s through its use in "The Simpsons" TV show, particularly by the character Lisa Simpson.

"Meh" was added to the Collins English Dictionary in 2008 and entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013.

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WHY “MEH” MATTERS!

The Curious Power of Indifference

Since a 1994 episode of The Simpsons, "meh" has become the go-to verbal tool for brushing off trivialities and declaring a general state of "couldn't care less”.

If (like us) curiosity is your thing, it’s good to remember that "meh" doesn't necessarily indicate apathy. Sometimes, when faced with conflicting or overwhelming situations, neutrality might be the wisest response. After all, not every battle is worth fighting, and not every trend deserves our attention.

Indifference can also be a practical emotional tool. Psychologists argue that emotional detachment can serve as a protective barrier against burnout or stress. In a world bombarded by stimuli demanding our constant attention and opinion, the ability to remain neutral — to say "meh" — can preserve mental energy for the things that truly matter.

Whatever our thoughts about indifference, in a world that demands constant reaction, sometimes the most powerful response is no reaction at all.

Paul & Helga Smith

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SYNONYMS

a big yawn, ain't all that, as exciting as watching paint dry (grass grow), blah, bored (out of your mind, stiff), boring, can't be bothered, could take it or leave it, couldn't care less, disinterest, disregard, doesn't do it for me, don't care, dull, ho-hum, indifference, indifferent, it is what it is, it leaves me cold, it's nothing to write home about, lack of concern, lacklustre, lukewarm, mediocre, MEH, mind-numbing, no big deal, nonchalance, not fussed, not impressed, not my thing, nothing special, oh well, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, shrug of the shoulders, so what? so-so, take it or leave it, tedious, tepid, unconcern, unremarkable, vanilla, verbal shrug, whatever, whatever floats your boat, yawn

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

“Isn’t it interesting that ‘MEH’ (a word which means uninteresting) has such an interesting origin?”

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