indolence

noun

in·​do·​lence ˈin-də-lən(t)s How to pronounce indolence (audio)
: inclination to laziness : sloth

Examples of indolence in a Sentence

a general feeling of indolence usually overtakes them during summer vacation
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.
The world does seem full of unhappiness and tragedy, much of it human-caused, either through outright cruelty or through the indolence of our illusions. Philip Metres july 30, Literary Hub, 30 July 2025 Their waiter’s indolence meant a long wait even for menus, yet neither of them let drop a word of complaint. Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025 The idea of Irish indolence fused with a quasi-religious faith in the laws of the market to shape the British response to the famine. Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 African clergy are distinctly firmer than those in the West, perhaps a consequence of the social turmoil on their continent compared to the indolence of Europe and North America. Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for indolence

Word History

First Known Use

1710, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of indolence was in 1710

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Cite this Entry

“Indolence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indolence. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

indolence

noun
in·​do·​lence ˈin-də-lən(t)s How to pronounce indolence (audio)
: the quality or state of being indolent : laziness

More from Merriam-Webster on indolence

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