Synonyms of ennui

ennui

noun

ˌän-ˈwē 

as in boredom

the state of being bored

the kind of ennui that comes from having too much time on one's hands and too little will to find something productive to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boredom
• restlessness
• tedium
• weariness
• melancholy
• blahs
• listlessness
• doldrums
• lethargy
• dulness
• dullness
• indifference
• joylessness
• monotony
• lassitude
• languor
• cheerlessness
• torpidity
• torpor
• apathy
• lifelessness
• languidness
• unconcern
• sameness
• dispiritedness
• monotonousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fascination
• absorption
• enchantment
• involvement
• excitement
• immersion
• engagement
• stimulation
• engrossment
• captivation
• bewitchment
• amusement
• animation
• beguilement
• relief
• entertainment
• invigoration
• diversion
• enlivenment

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ennui

Holden Caulfield responded to the ennui and existential despair of the Cold War by sinking into depression and glib cynicism; Vera reacts to our era’s deadly division with fits of perfectionism, striving to mend all conflicts everywhere. —Book Marks july 10, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025

The ennui becomes more significant and apparent when viewers learn that Tina was a child prodicy musician. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 4 June 2025

There’s nothing peaceful about this mental stillness; as the day lengthens, so does the ennui. —Rhian Sasseen, The Atlantic, 29 May 2025

More egregious, though, is the way Stick presents the key to unlocking Stick Cahill’s ennui. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 5 June 2025

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