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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
But while it’s bound to be emotional, this transition doesn’t have to be a time of listlessness and sadness.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Mar. 2026
These signs include loss of appetite, weight loss, lack of energy, listlessness or clinginess and loss of interest in physical play.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
And the locker room could feel the listlessness heading into the game.
—Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
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
That rules out decline, listlessness, and materialism.
—Susan Jostyn, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Sep. 2025
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Mar. 2026
These signs include loss of appetite, weight loss, lack of energy, listlessness or clinginess and loss of interest in physical play.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
And the locker room could feel the listlessness heading into the game.
—Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
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
That rules out decline, listlessness, and materialism.
—Susan Jostyn, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listlessness
Noun
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Cats may also climb due to boredom, excess energy, stress, or a need to escape from people or other pets.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Caldwell carried a walkie-talkie to stay in touch with Ingrid, whose boredom in the van had been vigorously articulated across the airwaves.—
Namir Khaliq,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Years of the petrodollar’s weakening grasp The petrodollar’s weakness has been quietly exposed for even years prior to Saudi Arabia’s currency swap with China.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Reinsdorf also emphasized the importance of both internal and external communication for a new hire, a notable weakness of the Karnišovas administration.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Officers on the scene noted clear signs of impairment, notably lethargy, bloodshot eyes, and difficulty with sobriety tests, despite a breathalyzer showing no alcohol.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Simpson Family The doctor said the time when a sinus infection becomes an emergency is when symptoms are changing rapidly, such as severe headaches, confusion, lethargy, decreased appetite and seizures.—
Jenna DeAngelis,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But if span-of-control inflation is so severe that managers can’t do the expert part of their job either, the model risks producing neither efficiency nor mentorship, just exhaustion.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
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Little matchsticks lie flat on its surface, and then suddenly pop up and jitter across its surface, only to fall again, in seeming exhaustion.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Their apps seem clearly designed, much like TikTok and Candy Crush, to keep users scrolling and tapping in a hypnotic stupor.—
McKay Coppins,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
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Patrons — many just as panicked and some in a drunken stupor — ran by her.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Eating either too many or not enough calories can contribute to fatigue, injuries, illness, poor performance and prolonged recovery from sports injuries.—
Dr. Sarah Kinsella,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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He was removed with what was called right arm fatigue.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Listlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listlessness. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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