lethargic

adjective le·thar·gic \ lə-ˈthär-jik , le- \

|Updated on: 10 Aug 2018

Examples: lethargic in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of lethargic

1 : of, relating to, or characterized by laziness or lack of energy : feeling or affected by lethargy : sluggish

The patient was weak and lethargic.

2 : indifferent, apathetic

The legislature was lethargic in considering the bill.

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lethargically

play \lə-ˈthär-ji-k(ə-)lē, le-\ adverb

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Examples of lethargic in a Sentence

You'll need to move your lure as slowly as possible to tempt the lethargic fish into feeding … —Lenny Rudow, Boating, December 1997
… became a drifter and for a time an alcoholic and finally lapsed into lethargic self-abasement. —Stanley Karnow, New York Times Book Review, 14 Oct. 1984
The audience was cold and lethargic. It is true there were about fifty-seven applauses, but they were not roars of enthusiasm by any means. —Lady Bird Johnson 12 Jan. 1966, in A White House Diary, 1970
The patient is weak and lethargic.
a big meal always makes me feel lethargic and sleepy

Recent Examples of lethargic from the Web

Dogs with pneumonia typically have decreased appetite, are very lethargic and may have labored breathing.

— saryn chorney, PEOPLE.com, "As Dog Flu Spreads from Brooklyn into Manhattan, N.Y.C. Veterinarians Issue Urgent Warnings to Pet Parents," 29 May 2018
The sun reaches the bare soil causing it to dry out more quickly, and weeds are better able to invade the lethargic turf.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "Here’s your gardening to-do list for the second part of the summer," 11 July 2018
Fans who did make their way into Gillette’s lower bowl were treated to an utterly lethargic contest as neither side had a goal to show for its efforts.

— owen pence, BostonGlobe.com, "Revolution, Sounders end in scoreless draw," 8 July 2018
Not helping matters is a lethargic offense that ranks 11th in the NL in runs per game (4.1) and OPS+ (89).

— jon tayler, SI.com, "Midseason Report Card: Upstart Braves, Phillies Headline Surprisingly Tight NL East Race," 27 June 2018
But his Senate campaign fundraising is lethargic when compared to his past hauls and his top-tier GOP and Democratic rivals.

— yvonne wingett sanchez, azcentral, "At 86, Joe Arpaio's Senate run worries GOP voters. His response: Age doesn’t mean anything," 6 July 2018
The boy was acting lethargic and had been outside for hours.

— jared gilmour, miamiherald, "Drugged boy wandered in heat for hours. Siblings passed out at home with mom, Iowa cops say," 18 June 2018
The club had produced a rather lethargic outing, but even so, Sporting KC earned a point and finished the day atop the Western Conference standings.

— sam mcdowell, kansascity, "How a grueling practice rejuvenated Sporting KC (and what that says about this team)," 8 June 2018
Logan became lethargic and nauseous, and his rash had spread.

— dan wine, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Florida boy's frightening brush with venomous caterpillar lands him in ER," 20 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lethargic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In Greek mythology, Lethe was the name of a river in the underworld that was also called the River of Unmindfulness or the River of Forgetfulness. Legend held that when someone died, he or she was given a drink of water from the river Lethe to forget all about his or her past life. Eventually this act of forgetting came to be associated with feelings of sluggishness, inactivity, or indifference. The name of the river and the word lethargic, as well as the related noun lethargy, all derive from lethe, Greek for forgetfulness.