1
as in slow
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the sluggish pace of the project is worrisome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
reptiles are naturally sluggish at low temperatures
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 sluggish
What follows is ultimately a completely different movie, going from an intense slasher to a sluggish police procedural.
—
Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
For quite some time post Covid, film festival pick-ups have been sluggish (though foreign films do sell at Cannes) with the yields at the box office often lower than the frenzied, ratcheted up auction prices.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 June 2026
Affected babies may show symptoms including constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered crying, difficulty breathing, and generalized weakness.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Other symptoms include constipation, drooping eyelids, sluggish pupils and a weak cry.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sluggish
Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
For quite some time post Covid, film festival pick-ups have been sluggish (though foreign films do sell at Cannes) with the yields at the box office often lower than the frenzied, ratcheted up auction prices.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 June 2026
Affected babies may show symptoms including constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelid, sluggish pupils, low muscle tone, difficulty sucking and swallowing, weak or altered crying, difficulty breathing, and generalized weakness.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 14 June 2026
Other symptoms include constipation, drooping eyelids, sluggish pupils and a weak cry.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sluggish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sluggish
Adjective
-
Dems slow to embrace data center resistance McMillan Cottom suggested that no public officials on the right or the left have perfected their messaging to align with anti-data center sentiments.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
Eating a donut earlier in the day is easier on your body than eating it at night when insulin sensitivity and metabolism slow.—
Brandi Jones,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
At some point, sleepy teenagers make their way into the kitchen, lured by the aroma of whatever their mom has decided to bake before dawn.—
Julie Jordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
-
Ferries make regular runs to the sleepy island community located 40 or so miles off the coast of the New England mainland — weather permitting, of course.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 1943, Shalit headed to the University of Illinois and took a leisurely six years to earn his degree.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026
-
That leisurely pace would lead only to more murder, and more assassinations.—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The lagging percentage of women film directors last year is a clear sign that the industry is going backward, said Kirsten Schaffer, chief executive of WIF, which advocates for women in Hollywood.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Law enforcement said Woods, who was uninjured but appeared lethargic, was showing signs of impairment at the scene.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
The Cavs looked lethargic, the building lacked energy because the home team gave them nothing to cheer for and now this erratic, inconsistent season could come to an end Monday night.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sluggish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sluggish. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
