ad nauseam
Say it: ad NAW-zee-am /ˌæd ˈnɔːziæm/ · adverb
What “ad nauseam” means
Repeated so much that everyone gets tired of it.
More precisely: Repeated so often that it becomes tiresome or sickening.
Example: “He talks about his marathon time ad nauseam.”
When to use it
Use it when complaining that a story, argument or topic has been repeated far too often. It sounds sharply impatient.
Memory trick
Latin for “to sickness”: imagine being sick of hearing the same thing.
Similar words
endlessly, repeatedly, incessantly
Where it comes from
Latin, 'to sickness'.
Quick check
Your cousin tells the same holiday story at every meal until everyone groans. How does he repeat it?
off the cuff or ad nauseam?
Show the answer
ad nauseam
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