listlessness

1
as in boredom
physical or mental inertness following a couple of big mistakes early in the game, the team sank into an uncharacteristic listlessness and was never able to recover the lead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of listlessness In the second half, veteran center Garrett Bradbury sensed the Patriots offense stalling from its own listlessness. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listlessness
Noun
  • If the behavior stops when distracted, boredom is likely the cause.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • So Fox cued up a clip of herself on screen, much to the child’s boredom.
    Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Anglo-Saxons, who have been given the multiracial treatment by the BBC’s casting directors, are squabbling natives whose weakness invites foreign interference.
    Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The amendment’s most glaring weakness lies in Section 4, which addresses presidential incapacity when the president cannot or will not acknowledge their disability.
    Lynn Schmidt, Twin Cities, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Although signs of illness are uncommon, some cats may develop fever, loss of appetite or lethargy.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
  • There can also be severe neurological changes, such as confusion or lethargy.
    Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Competitive Advantage Of Mentally Healthy Leadership Symptoms of leadership burnout can include fatigue, decreased cognitive function and emotional exhaustion.
    Kumar Abhishek Narayan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Sashay’s other trademark, beyond the glasses and the perpetual sense of exhaustion, is her endearing, distinctively scratchy voice.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The director does get solid performances out of his French and Italian cast, with the engaging Ronchi (Marco Bellocchio’s Sweet Dreams) playing a softspoken woman who seems to be in some kind of permanent stupor until her confessions bring her back to life.
    Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The same corporate event planners who used to book futurists with hologram slide decks are now on the hunt for celebrity performers who can yank an audience out of its AI stupor for ten electrifying minutes.
    Seth Yudof, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Both women opened up their seasons with monstrous times, with no sign of post-Olympic fatigue.
    Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Physical and psychological illnesses including depression, anxiety, fatigue and oral health issues were also tied to later eating.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Listlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listlessness. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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