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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restlessness
the state of being bored
we searched desperately for something to jar us out of our listlessness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor
general listlessness is often a side effect of chemotherapy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of listlessness
After a year of listlessness, the Democrats experienced their first major electoral string of victories on Tuesday, sweeping the Republicans in every major race.
—
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CWD can take months to years for symptoms to appear, which could include drastic weight loss, stumbling or lack of coordination, drooling and listlessness.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
In the second half, veteran center Garrett Bradbury sensed the Patriots offense stalling from its own listlessness.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CWD can take months to years for symptoms to appear, which could include drastic weight loss, stumbling or lack of coordination, drooling and listlessness.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
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
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Every child benefits from practicing waiting, joining conversation and managing boredom in everyday settings.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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So afternoon, for Gospodinov, is the time for boredom, memory, a kind of weightless solitude—and, now, the time for grief.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The problem with that is that good teams — the winning franchises — build their teams inside-out by fortifying the offensive and defensive lines, which just happen to be the areas of weakness this season.—
Omar Kelly
November 7,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Exports weren’t the only area that saw surprise weakness.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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If your lethargy or lack of desire to see people lingers for more than a few days, talking to someone is probably a good idea.—
Cindy Kuzma,
SELF,
29 Oct. 2025
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The signs of bird flu in dogs and cats include fever, lethargy, low appetite, red or inflamed eyes, discharge from eyes and nose, coughing or sneezing, difficulty breathing and neurologic signs such as tremors, seizures, incoordination or blindness, according to the AVMA.—
Laura Schulte,
jsonline.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Her troubles—sleepless nights, endless exhaustion—could simply be the result of young parenthood.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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Trade timing & outlook After breaking out to new all-time highs, momentum appears overextended, and signs of buyer exhaustion suggest a potential pullback.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Daedone wanted to savor decrescendo, too, as well as stasis, stupor, spiritual awakening, and whatever other sensations the stroke brought out.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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The cilantro is key because its chlorophyllic sharpness slaps the stupor out of the starchy beans.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Vanderbilt, as attention, pressure and fatigue rise on a pursuit no one outside its camp expected, is essentially two teams with two games left in the 2025 regular season.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Despite widespread fatigue over tipping prompts, Americans still tend to be generous when dining out at restaurants.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Listlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listlessness. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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