torpid

adjective

tor·​pid ˈtȯr-pəd 

1

a

: sluggish in functioning or acting

a torpid mind

b

: having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling : numb

c

: exhibiting or characterized by torpor : dormant

a torpid bird

2

: lacking in energy or vigor : apathetic, dull

torpidity

tȯr-ˈpi-də-tē 

noun

Synonyms of torpid

• sleepy
• dull
• sluggish
• lethargic
• quiescent

Examples of torpid in a Sentence

a torpid sloth that refused to budge off its tree branch

my tongue and throat remained torpid for a time following the endoscopy

Recent Examples on the Web

Free money was great for stock-market investors, but Main Street’s recovery was torpid. —Roger Lowenstein, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026

That obviously transformed what, like a previous probe by Cleaning Lady producers Warner Bros TV, had been a rather torpid investigation into something much more urgent. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Jan. 2026

An exciting, eventful first half, loaded with Dutch opportunities, gave way to a torpid stretch after halftime that, until Gakpo’s goal, had tilted toward Senegal. —Ben Shpigel, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2022

The sequel, by contrast, is torpid, clogged with lengthy but uninteresting tête-à-têtes and generally lacking in vigor, even in the two blowout battle scenes in the final act. —Kyle Smith, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "inattentive, lazy," borrowed from Latin torpidus "numbed, paralyzed," adjective derivative corresponding to the stative verb torpēre "to be numb, lack sensation, be struck motionless, be sluggish or lethargic," going back to dialectal Indo-European *tr̥p-eh₂- (whence also Old Church Slavic trĭpěti "to be patient, suffer," Lithuanian tirpstù, tir͂pti "to become stiff, lose feeling, fall asleep [of limbs]"), zero-grade derivative of a verbal base perhaps seen also in the Germanic adjective *þerba- (from *terp-o-), whence Old English þeorf "unleavened," Old Frisian therve, derve "rough, violent," Old High German therp, derp "unleavened," Old Icelandic þjarfr "unleavened, fresh (of water), insipid, flat"

Note: The base *terp- "grow stiff" appears to be limited to Italic, Germanic and Balto-Slavic. There is a homonymous base *terp- "be satisfied," under which is usually placed the Germanic preterit-present verb *þarf "be under a necessity, need," whence German dürfen "to be allowed or permitted (to do)." Pokorny's Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch takes *terp- "grow stiff" as a "root extension" of a more basic stem *(s)ter-, which, by way of unconditioned ablaut and root extensions, supposedly gives rise to a vast array of vocabulary.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

torpid

adjective

tor·​pid ˈtȯr-pəd 

1

a

: having lost motion or the power of exertion or feeling

b

: exhibiting or characterized by topor

a bear torpid in winter sleep

2

: having too little energy or strength : apathetic

Etymology

from Latin torpidus "having lost motion or power of moving or feeling, numb," from torpēre "to be numb" — related to torpedo see Word History at torpedo

Medical Definition

torpid

adjective

tor·​pid ˈtȯr-pəd 

: sluggish in functioning or acting : characterized by torpor

torpidity

tȯr-ˈpid-ət-ē 

noun

plural torpidities