Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lackadaisical differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lackadaisical are languid, languorous, listless, and spiritless. While all these words mean "lacking energy or enthusiasm," lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.

lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study

Where would languid be a reasonable alternative to lackadaisical?

The meanings of languid and lackadaisical largely overlap; however, languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.

was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery

In what contexts can languorous take the place of lackadaisical?

Although the words languorous and lackadaisical have much in common, languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.

languorous cats lying in the sun

When is listless a more appropriate choice than lackadaisical?

While the synonyms listless and lackadaisical are close in meaning, listless suggests a lack of interest caused by physical weakness or dissatisfied boredom.

listless hospital patients
listless children flipping through picture books on a rainy day

When could spiritless be used to replace lackadaisical?

While in some cases nearly identical to lackadaisical, spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.

a spiritless recital of the poem

Examples of lackadaisical in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The North Carolina singer-songwriter led her band through the warm Americana, classic rock guitar solos, and lackadaisical folk strums of her new album, Bite Down, giving the music an extra edge with witty retorts and cheeky one-liners. Boutayna Chokrane, Pitchfork, 22 July 2024 Everything’s coming up Kamala in this midsummer reboot of a campaign that for months had turned even the most interested insiders lackadaisical, if not sour. Philip Elliott, TIME, 26 July 2024 How would the Yankees, who’d lost 13 of 17 and often looked lackadaisical doing it, respond Saturday? Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 7 July 2024 Brondello’s squad flipped a switch in the second half, but the lackadaisical start was too much to come back from. Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 25 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for lackadaisical 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lackadaisical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Lackadaisical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lackadaisical. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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