anemic

adjective

ane·​mic ə-ˈnē-mik How to pronounce anemic (audio)
1
: relating to or affected with anemia
The blood test indicated that he was slightly anemic.
2
a
: lacking force, vitality, or spirit
an anemic rendition of the song
anemic efforts at enforcement
b
: lacking interest or savor (see savor entry 1 sense 3) : insipid
anemic wines
c
: lacking in substance or quantity
anemic returns on an investment
anemic attendance
anemically adverb

Examples of anemic in a Sentence

The doctor told me I was slightly anemic. The band played an anemic rendition of a classic love song. Investors are worried about the stock's anemic performance. Officials worried about anemic attendance at the shows. Sales rose an anemic 0.5 percent last quarter.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
No such issues have been detected in Northern California this year, but anemic brown pelicans require 3-6 weeks of feeding and often treatment for injuries. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025 The near daily release of orders stands as a counterpoint to the current anemic Congress, which has passed only a handful of laws since Mr. Trump’s inauguration. … and was sued in federal court more, too. Irineo Cabreros, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 As the Commerce Department prepares to release its initial estimate of G.D.P. growth for the first quarter of 2025, economic forecasters are expecting an anemic rate of just 0.3 per cent, down from 2.4 per cent in the final quarter of last year, when Joe Biden was still in the White House. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025 By comparison Fatal Fury is left in the past with two modes with equally anemic storytelling, even by the genre’s low standards. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anemic

Word History

Etymology

see anemia

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anemic was in 1826

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anemic. Accessed 3 May. 2025.

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