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
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Recent Examples of ennui
Those reporters told stories of war in all its gore and its glory, its exhilaration and its ennui.
—
Kathy Kiely, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
But that doesn’t mean mathematicians would be crippled with ennui, Litt says.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 16 Mar. 2026
Left cold by the grand museums of Paris, Rothko yearned for art that might transcend his sense of institutional ennui.
—Tobias Grey, Air Mail, 14 Mar. 2026
There’s a little speed-thrills ennui among Dolphins fans after the previous era.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ennui
Kathy Kiely, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026
But that doesn’t mean mathematicians would be crippled with ennui, Litt says.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 16 Mar. 2026
Left cold by the grand museums of Paris, Rothko yearned for art that might transcend his sense of institutional ennui.
—Tobias Grey, Air Mail, 14 Mar. 2026
There’s a little speed-thrills ennui among Dolphins fans after the previous era.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ennui
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ennui
boredom
Noun
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More importantly, interactions with sycophantic chatbots impart all the wrong habits for navigating the world of human relationships, where friction, disagreement, boredom and different opinions than your own are prevalent.—
Cody Turner,
The Conversation,
1 May 2026
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Try to avoid late-night snacking out of habit, boredom, or stress.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ennui.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ennui. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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