Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

Thesaurus

languid

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of languid

1 lacking bodily energy or motivation
  • A few languid dancers swayed about on the dance floor without much enthusiasm.
Synonyms of languid

enervated, lackadaisical, languishing, languorous, limp, listless, spiritless
Words Related to languid

indolent, lazy, slothful

dull, lethargic, logy (also loggy), sleepy, sluggish, torpid

exhausted, tired, weary

feeble, frail, weak

apathetic, impassive, indifferent, phlegmatic, stolid

inactive, inert
Near Antonyms of languid

active, dynamic, industrious, kinetic

avid, eager, enthusiastic, keen, lively, pumped, vivacious

cheerful, chipper, perky, up

agog, alert, awake, open-eyed, sleepless, vigilant, watchful, wide-awake
Antonyms of languid

ambitious, animated, energetic, enterprising, motivated
2 lacking bodily strength
  • the tired athlete's languid movements on the tennis court
Synonyms of languid

debilitated, delicate, down-and-out, effete, enervated, enfeebled, faint, feeble, frail, infirm, low, prostrate, prostrated, sapped, slight, soft, softened, tender, unsubstantial, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpish, wimpy
Words Related to languid

challenged, disabled, incapacitated, invalid

paralyzed

broken-down, decrepit

impotent, powerless

breakable, flimsy, fragile

dizzy, groggy, rocky, unsteady, woozy

drained, exhausted, flagging, tired, weary, worn-out

damaged, harmed, hurt, impaired, injured, lame, unsound

resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding
Near Antonyms of languid

able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, fit, husky, muscular, sinewy, strapping, virile

hard, hardy, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sturdy, tough

fortified, hardened, inured, strengthened, toughened

energetic, energized, invigorated, vigorous, vitalized

hale, healthy, sound

capable, competent

convalescing, recovering, recuperating
Antonyms of languid

mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, strong
3 moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
  • The film's languid pace will not be to the taste of many moviegoers.
Synonyms of languid

crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, lagging, leisurely, poking, poky (or pokey), slow, sluggish, tardy, unhurried
Words Related to languid

deliberate, measured

inactive, inert, lethargic

lingering, loitering, tarrying

ambling, heavy-footed, inching, plodding, shuffling, slow-footed

strolling

decelerating, slowing

procrastinating, stalling
Near Antonyms of languid

expeditious, prompt, ready

accelerated, hastened, quickened

hurried, rushed
Antonyms of languid

barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind, whisking, zipping

Synonym Discussion of languid

languid, languorous, lackadaisical, listless, spiritless mean lacking energy or enthusiasm. languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.
    • was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery
languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.
    • languorous cats lying in the sun
lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.
    • lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study
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
spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.
    • a spiritless recital of the poem

Learn More about languid

  1. Dictionary: Definition of languid Spanish Central: Translation of languid Nglish: Translation of languid for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of languid for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about languid

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up languid? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

traduce

play

to lower or disgrace the reputation of

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  2. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  3. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

  4. salacious 'arousing or appealing to sexual desire'

  5. oligarch 'government in which a small group exercises control'

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image236659401
Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

alt-5ada140ed3e28
'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Why not both?

alt-5ad8fc71357ed
Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

No, it's not a coiffure trend

alt-5ad8d3361fb97
Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

You're on the edge of your seat

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
cats-on-impossible-timber
More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
Spell It
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® Sprint

SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!

Play the game