Distinguishing Between Bored & Boring

Bored vs Boring

Bored and boring have similar meanings, but there is a difference in how they are used. Knowing the difference between bored and boring is helpful for using these words correctly to describe situations and things. When something uninteresting is happening, you might feel bored, but is it appropriate to say you are boring? This is where confusion can arise, especially for those learning English as a foreign language.

What does Boring mean? What does Bored mean?

Both boring and bored are adjectives and can be used to describe things or situations. They both mean uninteresting or tedious. If you are watching a boring movie, you are not boring, but getting bored. It is the movie that is boring, not you. If you are boring, it means that other people do not wish to be around you. For example, if Andy finds Martha uninteresting, he gets bored by her company and thinks Martha is a boring girl.

Boring is an adjective that ends in -ing and describes a person, object, or situation that causes a feeling. Adjectives that end in -ed describe one’s own feelings. It is alright to say someone else is boring, but not yourself. Instead, to describe one’s own feelings, the adjective is used with –ed, as in “I am bored.”

According to the BBC, -ed adjectives are usually used to describe a temporary state or feeling, while -ing adjectives describe the permanent qualities of something or someone. So, boring is used to describe permanent qualities, while bored is used to describe a temporary state or feeling.

Key Takeaways

• Boring is an adjective that describes the quality of a person or thing, while bored is an adjective that describes one’s own feelings.
• Boring is used to describe permanent qualities, while bored is used to describe a temporary state or feeling.
• Both boring and bored can be used to describe people, objects, or situations, but you would say someone else is boring, not yourself.