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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ennui
The music video moves in reverse, starting with the sisters packing up the car, taking us back through Danielle’s ennui lying in bed alone, to whenever she and Starkey’s character first met, dancing at the club.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
Our essayist challenges that notion and encourages us to embrace ennui as a time to rest and rekindle the spirit.
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2025
Like his late father’s homing pigeons who keep returning to their shabby rooftop coop — a holding-pattern image that echoes the ennui of Terry Malloy on a very different waterfront — he’s imprisoned by the limits of his knowledge, the petrified loop of his experience.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Alas, Godwin’s gentle take on the tragicomedy misses the explosive nature of this moment, the desperation these characters feel to change their fate right now or live and die steeped in stifling ennui.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ennui
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
Our essayist challenges that notion and encourages us to embrace ennui as a time to rest and rekindle the spirit.
—Robert Klose, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2025
Like his late father’s homing pigeons who keep returning to their shabby rooftop coop — a holding-pattern image that echoes the ennui of Terry Malloy on a very different waterfront — he’s imprisoned by the limits of his knowledge, the petrified loop of his experience.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Feb. 2025
Alas, Godwin’s gentle take on the tragicomedy misses the explosive nature of this moment, the desperation these characters feel to change their fate right now or live and die steeped in stifling ennui.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ennui
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ennui
boredom
Noun
-
But Below Deck Down Under has been stuck in a bad cycle all season, where a problem will emerge, escalate, and repeat itself to the point of boredom.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 May 2025
-
Other times, procrastination stems from an emotional source—boredom, overwhelm, anxiety, dread, and so on.—
Kevin Kruse,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ennui.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ennui. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share