Ad Nauseam

Meaning of Idiom ‘Ad Nauseam’

Ad nauseam means continuing for an excessive period of time until people are tired of it; to ridiculous excess or a sickening degree. ¹,²

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Usage

Ad nauseam is most often used about a particular subject that is being discussed.

Examples Of Use

“He’s talked about Jenny ad nauseam ever since they had a date. I wish he’d shut up about her already.”

“We hear about the need for bipartisan cooperation ad nauseam in Washington but it never seems to actually happen on a large scale.”

“This self-help guru went on and on, ad nauseam, about the power of the inner eye without once saying anything that made sense.”

Origin

Used since the early 1600s.

This idiom is a Latin term meaning to [the point of] nausea. It is one of many such Latin terms used in English, such as ad hoc or ad infinitum. ³

More Idioms Starting with A

• Add Fuel to the Fire
• All Tuckered Out
• Are You Writing a Book?
• Army Brat
• And How

More Latin Related Idioms

• De Facto
• A Word To The Wise
• Pros and Cons
• Get Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed, to
• Die Is Cast, the
• Cross the Rubicon
• Call a Spade a Spade, to
• Beware Of Greeks Bearing Gifts

 

References

1. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
2. Bengelsdorf, Peter. Idioms in the News – 1,000 Phrases, Real Examples. N.p.: Amz Digital Services, 2012.
3. Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.