indolent
adjective
in·do·lent
ˈin-də-lənt 
1
2
a
: causing little or no pain
b
: slow to develop or heal
indolent tumors
indolent ulcers
indolently
adverb
Examples of indolent in a Sentence
Perhaps Henry James's idea of the taste for art in England as a "tribute to propriety" holds perversely true, with the indolent taste for scandal and celebrity having taken hold as a bizarre new form of etiquette.
—
Sebastian Smee, Prospect, July 2003
At home, however, there's something indolent about listening to a record that offers no hope for the unexpected.
—John Milward, Rolling Stone, 11–25 July 1991
Air-conditioning is for the weak and indolent. This isn't the Ritz, you know. Be thankful for a little breeze. It was luxuries like A/C that brought down the Roman Empire.
—Garrison Keillor, Lake Wobegon Days, (1985) 1986
She is indolent and irresponsible.
an indolent boy who had to be forced to help out with the chores
Sebastian Smee, Prospect, July 2003
At home, however, there's something indolent about listening to a record that offers no hope for the unexpected.
—John Milward, Rolling Stone, 11–25 July 1991
Air-conditioning is for the weak and indolent. This isn't the Ritz, you know. Be thankful for a little breeze. It was luxuries like A/C that brought down the Roman Empire.
—Garrison Keillor, Lake Wobegon Days, (1985) 1986
She is indolent and irresponsible.
an indolent boy who had to be forced to help out with the chores
Recent Examples on the Web
Around 22,000 people across the U.S. have a rare chronic condition called indolent systemic mastocytosis.
—Katie Jennings, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Lukas Matsson is a useful counterpoint to the Roys’ indolent American nepotism, while Andy Ronson casts doubt on the idea that those who profit from the status quo are equipped to change it for the greater good.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Dec. 2023
When Pinkerton is not in a scene, the singer who plays him often hovers to the side, gesturing and twitching in an indolent trance.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023
The goal of prostate cancer screening is to identify and treat the aggressive prostate cancers, while not unnecessarily treating the slow-growing, indolent cancers.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 6 Sep. 2023
The average life expectancy of a 75-year-old man is about 11 to 12 years, and cancers in older men tend to be more indolent, which is why 75 is a reasonable time to stop screening.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 6 Sep. 2023
Enter Email Sign Up Cashel’s life in India is, at first, indolent and cushy, complete with a wealthy roommate and regular chats over chess with canny Dr. Freemantle.
—Daneet Steffens, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
Regular prostate cancer varies from a slow-growing, indolent form that is easy to treat in its early stages to a much more aggressive form.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 18 July 2023
Tom’s utilitarian upbringing leaves him pathologically indolent and selfish.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 16 Dec. 2022
Katie Jennings, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Lukas Matsson is a useful counterpoint to the Roys’ indolent American nepotism, while Andy Ronson casts doubt on the idea that those who profit from the status quo are equipped to change it for the greater good.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 12 Dec. 2023
When Pinkerton is not in a scene, the singer who plays him often hovers to the side, gesturing and twitching in an indolent trance.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023
The goal of prostate cancer screening is to identify and treat the aggressive prostate cancers, while not unnecessarily treating the slow-growing, indolent cancers.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 6 Sep. 2023
The average life expectancy of a 75-year-old man is about 11 to 12 years, and cancers in older men tend to be more indolent, which is why 75 is a reasonable time to stop screening.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 6 Sep. 2023
Enter Email Sign Up Cashel’s life in India is, at first, indolent and cushy, complete with a wealthy roommate and regular chats over chess with canny Dr. Freemantle.
—Daneet Steffens, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2023
Regular prostate cancer varies from a slow-growing, indolent form that is easy to treat in its early stages to a much more aggressive form.
—Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 18 July 2023
Tom’s utilitarian upbringing leaves him pathologically indolent and selfish.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 16 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'indolent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near indolent
Cite this Entry
“Indolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indolent. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
indolent
adjective
in·do·lent
ˈin-də-lənt
: disliking effort or activity : lazy
the heat made us indolent
indolently
adverb
Medical Definition
indolent
adjective
in·do·lent
ˈin-də-lənt
1
: causing little or no pain
an indolent tumor
2
a
: growing or progressing slowly
leprosy is an indolent infectious disease
b
: slow to heal
an indolent ulcer
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share