HEBETUDE Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

hebetude

noun

ˈhe-bə-ˌtüd

Definition of hebetude

as in boredom

physical or mental inertness faced with a class forever enveloped in a miasma of apathy and intellectual hebetude, the professor had little hope of kindling an interest in medieval European history

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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 hebetude The leaden weight of an irremediable idleness descended upon General Feraud, who having no resources within himself sank into a state of awe-inspiring hebetude. — Ruth Walker, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Sep. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hebetude

Noun

Calder may have mistaken writing about boredom for writing boredom.

— Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Instead, a quick TikTok showing the little girl quietly taking in the world around her without an iPad sparked a conversation among millions of parents about screen time, boredom and what childhood looks like today.

— Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026

Definition of boredom

Noun

Symptoms include coughing, rapid breathing, lethargy, and reluctance to exercise; open-mouth breathing in cats is an emergency.

— Jen Reeder, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Helado Tropical is a fitting soundtrack for the part of the summer when the season settles into a sweaty and pensive lethargy.

— E.R. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

Definition of lethargy

Noun

The 14-month-old was diagnosed with alcohol intoxication with complications and stupor, as well as acute respiratory failure, according to The Advocate and WBRZ.

— Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
But Supergirl doesn’t quite want to deal with the immensity of its protagonist’s feelings; her drunken stupor is often played for laughs, defined by disheveled hair, big sunglasses, and plenty of slurred speech.

— David Sims, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026

Definition of stupor

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heavyweights

hebetude

heck

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“Hebetude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hebetude. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hebetude

noun

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