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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But parents from years past had fewer regulations, so kids were able to experience boredom, befriend kids their parents were unfamiliar with, and rebel in small ways outside of their parents purview (like stealing from Claire's or putting on layers of Nars blush in the 7th grade).—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
4 Sep. 2025
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Dopamine loops from social media, games, and constant notifications have reduced their tolerance for boredom, focus and real-world interaction.—
Elan Gepner-Dales,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There can also be severe neurological changes, such as confusion or lethargy.—
Julie Scott,
Verywell Health,
2 Sep. 2025
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In cats and dogs, symptoms can include fever, lethargy and loss of appetite, in addition to lymph node swelling under the jaw.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The director does get solid performances out of his French and Italian cast, with the engaging Ronchi (Marco Bellocchio’s Sweet Dreams) playing a softspoken woman who seems to be in some kind of permanent stupor until her confessions bring her back to life.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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The same corporate event planners who used to book futurists with hologram slide decks are now on the hunt for celebrity performers who can yank an audience out of its AI stupor for ten electrifying minutes.—
Seth Yudof,
Rolling Stone,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hebetude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hebetude. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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