indolence

noun

in·​do·​lence ˈin-də-lən(t)s How to pronounce indolence (audio)
: inclination to laziness : sloth

Examples of indolence in a Sentence

a general feeling of indolence usually overtakes them during summer vacation
Recent Examples on the Web But what if a horror movie's antagonist was an animal whose name is literally synonymous with laziness, indolence, and inactivity? Clark Collis, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2023 Getting a lot of sleep is virtuous (wellness, leisure) and also objectionable (self-indulgence, indolence). Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2023 The real killer is our indolence. Linda Marsa, Discover Magazine, 23 May 2013 On the right, cash payments are seen to promote indolence and inflation. Roger Valdez, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 For some, the notion of an isolated, utterly private Caribbean atoll may conjure up fantasies of tropical indolence — chaise longues on a white-sand beach, umbrella drinks and perhaps a paperback. Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2021 Choni vividly realized the mix of perfumed indolence and frenzy in Scriabin’s Fourth Sonata. Dallas News, 13 June 2022 The book’s most prominent theme is that the societal pathologies Mr. Vance witnessed in Middletown—alcoholism, indolence, opioid addiction—are not, or at least not primarily, the result of declining economic opportunity. Barton Swaim, WSJ, 23 Sep. 2022 In Afghanistan, fashion, with its low barriers to entry, is not so much a symbol of self-indulgent indolence as a lever of advancement. New York Times, 25 Aug. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indolence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indolence was in 1710

Dictionary Entries Near indolence

Cite this Entry

“Indolence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indolence. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

indolence

noun
in·​do·​lence ˈin-də-lən(t)s How to pronounce indolence (audio)
: the quality or state of being indolent : laziness

More from Merriam-Webster on indolence

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