Illustration of sloth
- sloth 2
plural sloths
ˈslȯths 
ˈslȯṯẖz,
ˈsläths,
ˈsläṯẖz
also ˈslōths,
ˈslōṯẖz
1
a
: disinclination to action or labor : indolence
b
: spiritual apathy and inactivity
the deadly sin of sloth
2
: any of various slow-moving arboreal edentate mammals (genera Bradypus and Choloepus) that inhabit tropical forests of South and Central America, hang from the branches back downward, and feed on leaves, shoots, and fruits compare three-toed sloth, two-toed sloth
Examples of sloth in a Sentence
the sins of gluttony and sloth
a youth inclined more toward sloth than athletics
Recent Examples on the Web
Much of the island is protected by Isla Bastimentos National Marine Park, a pristine patch of reef and rainforest inhabited by monkeys, sloths, sea turtles, rare bird species, and more than 80 types of coral.
—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
At the time, at least four visitors were inside the enclosure with seven sloths.
—
Katie Surma,
Sun Sentinel,
19 June 2026
But that doesn’t mean that artificially sugared sodas, retail consumption, or social media are depraved, worthless activities akin to the cardinal sin of sloth or the tragic spiral of heroin addiction.
—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
The sloth is the fifth of the 13 that has died, but the first in more than a month.
—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sloth
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
At the time, at least four visitors were inside the enclosure with seven sloths.
—
Katie Surma,
Sun Sentinel,
19 June 2026
But that doesn’t mean that artificially sugared sodas, retail consumption, or social media are depraved, worthless activities akin to the cardinal sin of sloth or the tragic spiral of heroin addiction.
—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
The sloth is the fifth of the 13 that has died, but the first in more than a month.
—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sloth
Cite this Entry
“Sloth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sloth. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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