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 After weeks of mild to warm weather, what could be one of the final gasps of the anemic winter of 2023-24 spread over much of the eastern half of the U.S. Monday. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 Escalating losses, exacerbated by anemic plane-production, almost certainly are increasing the stress on the surviving planes and crews. David Axe, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 So the lack of access to something as simple as iron means that those women are entering labor severely anemic. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2024 The flesh should have a brilliant hue and shouldn’t be anemic or pale looking. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 14 Feb. 2024 Determined to avoid the policy failures that led to the anemic recovery after the 2008 financial crisis, Biden may have overcompensated. David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 28 Jan. 2024 Many were anemic and had foot rot, a contagious bacterial disease that can be life-threatening if left untreated in wet environments. Hilary Howard, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 State committee members, who listed anemic fundraising, interference in county party business, and a lack of transparency among reasons for ousting Karamo, did not allow news media inside the meeting room. Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Jan. 2024 The focus is on Pittsburgh’s anemic offense versus the Rams’ stingy defense. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023

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

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

Dictionary Entries Near anemic

Cite this Entry

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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