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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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
Ruth Walker, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hebetude
Noun
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This pint-sized Funto mini watercolor set can bust boredom without permanently turning your tray table into a piece of modern art.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Jan. 2026
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Southerners experience quick dramatic bursts of overnight freezes, ice storms, and occasional dustings of snow, and nothing soothes cold-weather boredom like a grandma and her activities.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Craig the dog Anti-Cruelty Society Pet owners should also be on the watch for signs of hypothermia — including shivering, lethargy, and cold ears and paws.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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According to the American Cancer Society, symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include swollen lymph nodes, which can cause pain when drinking, fever, night sweats and feelings of lethargy.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Spotlight The Welcome Demise of Climate Change Catastrophism Is the American Left finally waking up from its decades-long climate catastrophism stupor?—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
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Binging the best Thanksgiving episodes in a post-meal stupor is one way to cope with a less-than-lovely holiday.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hebetude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hebetude. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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