slothful

1 of 2

adjective

sloth·ful ˈslȯth-fəl

ˈsläth-

also ˈslōth-

Synonyms of slothful

: inclined to sloth : indolent

slothfully

ˈslȯth-fə-lē

ˈsläth-

also ˈslōth-

adverb

slothfulness noun

slothfulness

2 of 2

noun

sloth·ful·ness

-fəlnə̇s

plural -es

: the quality or state of being slothful

that dim slothfulness of the spirit which a great sorrow … will bring—Mary Webb

Synonyms of slothful

Relevance

Adjective

lazy
idle

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Choose the Right Synonym for slothful

lazy, indolent, slothful mean not easily aroused to activity.

lazy suggests a disinclination to work or to take trouble.

take-out foods for lazy cooks

indolent suggests a love of ease and a dislike of movement or activity.

the heat made us indolent

slothful implies a temperamental inability to act promptly or speedily when action or speed is called for.

fired for being slothful about filling orders

Examples of slothful in a Sentence

Adjective his overly lax managerial style has resulted in a department that is slothful and unproductive

Recent Examples on the Web

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Adjective

That they would be regarded as slothful morons who aren't worth the price of a ticket of admission. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Feb. 2026 Procrastination can be slothful or prudent, a vice or a virtue, depending on your habits and the tasks at hand. — Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2021 After releasing 12 albums in 13 months, Twin Cities guitarist Cory Wong will end his momentarily slothful ways and drop just his second album this year. — Jon Bream, Star Tribune, 11 May 2021 Soviet Russia, too, experienced periodic panics about slothful bureaucrats impeding the dictatorship of the proletariat. — Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of slothful was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

sloth bear

slothful

slothfully

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Slothful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slothful. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

slothful

adjective

sloth·ful ˈslȯth-fəl

ˈslōth-

: lazy sense 1, sluggish, indolent

slothfully

-fə-lē

adverb

slothful

adjective

noun

Synonyms of slothful

Examples of slothful in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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