Synonym Chooser

How does the noun lassitude contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lassitude are languor, lethargy, stupor, and torpor. While all these words mean "physical or mental inertness," lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health.

a depression marked by lassitude

Where would languor be a reasonable alternative to lassitude?

Although the words languor and lassitude have much in common, languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love.

languor induced by a tropical vacation

When could lethargy be used to replace lassitude?

The words lethargy and lassitude can be used in similar contexts, but lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs.

months of lethargy followed my accident

When might stupor be a better fit than lassitude?

While the synonyms stupor and lassitude are close in meaning, stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.

lapsed into an alcoholic stupor

When would torpor be a good substitute for lassitude?

In some situations, the words torpor and lassitude are roughly equivalent. However, torpor implies a state of suspended animation as of hibernating animals but may suggest merely extreme sluggishness.

a once alert mind now in a torpor

Example Sentences

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 lassitude But the opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., went way further than necessary to insulate Trump from prosecution — not simply before the election, which the court, by its lassitude, had nearly guaranteed, but forever, even in the event that President Biden wins reelection. Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 1 July 2024 After so many episodes, there is no lassitude and the Mbappé saga continues to enliven conversations in France’s sports bars. Samuel Petrequin, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024 Two to four days later, agitation may turn into sleepiness, depression, and lassitude; abdominal pain may concentrate in the upper right quadrant; and the liver might become enlarged, according to the WHO. Erin Prater, Fortune Well, 12 Jan. 2024 Pence says that Biden’s lassitude on Ukraine is connected to his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, his foolish pursuit of a nuclear deal with Iran, and his recent turn toward dovishness on China. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 8 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for lassitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lassitude
Noun
  • Similar to the chart of WTI crude oil, the VanEck Oil Services ETF (OIH) has improved intermediate-term momentum and no signs of upside exhaustion, increasing the likelihood of a breakout above a Fibonacci retracement level near $257 for a secondary objective of $298.
    Katie Stockton, CNBC, 16 June 2025
  • Whether from the return of fasting or sheer exhaustion, players may become impassive.
    Jason Anthony, The Atlantic, 14 June 2025
Noun
  • Smoking often masks something deeper: stress, social anxiety, trauma, or even boredom.
    John Samuels, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • In fact, the broader legalization of cannabis for recreational and medical purposes has likely driven its boosted popularity and public image, leading many to see it as a relatively safe substance for relaxation and relief from stress, pain, and even boredom.
    Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Regardless of your fitness level, stay alert for other cardiac warning signs, too: pain that radiates down your arm or jaw, unusual fatigue, and fainting or almost fainting.
    Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 23 June 2025
  • Viewers have shared their own experiences with chronic anxiety, fatigue, and illness, some expressing relief at finally hearing an explanation that connects the dots surrounding their symptoms and broader societal conditions.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • Kota, the zoo's youngest male orangutan, started showing signs of lethargy and continued to decline despite efforts of zoo veterinary and animal care staff to administer care, the zoo said in the release.
    Harley Walls, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
  • But in January 2021, Hurley watched as her usually spunky youngest daughter began experiencing nose bleeds and prolonged bouts of lethargy.
    Johnny Dodd, People.com, 15 June 2025
Noun
  • The soup throwers and activists blindfolding statues hope to wake us from our climate stupor.
    Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • The dessert in question is a gorgeous, tiered, scarlet confection that is dosed with enough medicine to send everyone who eats it into a sleeping stupor in about two hours.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • The book’s languor can be ponderous and vintage, more 20th century than 21st.
    Daniel Felsenthal, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • This languor expands in the velvety air.
    J.T. Townley, The New York Review of Books, 6 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lassitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lassitude. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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