Illustration of sloth
- sloth 2
plural sloths
ˈslȯths 
ˈslȯṯẖz,
ˈsläths,
ˈsläṯẖz
also ˈslōths,
ˈslōṯẖz
1
a
: disinclination to action or labor : indolence
b
: spiritual apathy and inactivity
the deadly sin of sloth
2
: any of various slow-moving arboreal edentate mammals (genera Bradypus and Choloepus) that inhabit tropical forests of South and Central America, hang from the branches back downward, and feed on leaves, shoots, and fruits compare three-toed sloth, two-toed sloth
Examples of sloth in a Sentence
the sins of gluttony and sloth
a youth inclined more toward sloth than athletics
Recent Examples on the Web
The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including sloths, birds, and monkeys.
—
Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
In the series, audiences will learn more about the animals that lived in the Pleistocene era, millions of years after the extinction of the dinosaurs, including the Megalonyx jeffersonii (also known as the snow sloth).
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
In the past, the Small Mammals Building has been the home of such animals as fruit bats, sloths, porcupines, armadillos, tamarins, otters, lemurs and mongooses.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025
While everyone else hustles about, the sloth knows that in slowness there is safety and success.
—Kate Siber, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloth
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.
Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2025
In the series, audiences will learn more about the animals that lived in the Pleistocene era, millions of years after the extinction of the dinosaurs, including the Megalonyx jeffersonii (also known as the snow sloth).
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
In the past, the Small Mammals Building has been the home of such animals as fruit bats, sloths, porcupines, armadillos, tamarins, otters, lemurs and mongooses.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 28 Oct. 2025
While everyone else hustles about, the sloth knows that in slowness there is safety and success.
—Kate Siber, Outside, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sloth
Cite this Entry
“Sloth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sloth. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share