as in boredom
physical or mental inertness the doctor suspected that the patient's depression and lethargy were a result of seasonal affective disorder

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the noun lethargy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lethargy are languor, lassitude, stupor, and torpor. While all these words mean "physical or mental inertness," lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs.

months of lethargy followed my accident

When would languor be a good substitute for lethargy?

The words languor and lethargy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love.

languor induced by a tropical vacation

When is lassitude a more appropriate choice than lethargy?

The words lassitude and lethargy can be used in similar contexts, but lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health.

a depression marked by lassitude

Where would stupor be a reasonable alternative to lethargy?

Although the words stupor and lethargy have much in common, stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.

lapsed into an alcoholic stupor

When is it sensible to use torpor instead of lethargy?

The meanings of torpor and lethargy largely overlap; 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

Examples 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 lethargy And the ambiguous nature of iron deficiency signs — which can include lethargy, irritability, and pale skin — coupled with the lack of specific recommendations for nonpregnant women, means the condition can be easily overlooked, Weyand said. Lourdes Medrano, NPR, 15 Sep. 2024 Anyone who lives at high altitude knows that the side-effects of the thin air—the dizziness, lethargy, and insomnia—go away after your body produces a few billion extra red blood cells. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 16 Oct. 2024 Its broader financial lethargy and this week’s market turmoil will hardly be welcomed by Beijing. Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 12 Oct. 2024 Moderately high heat can induce headaches, dehydration, lethargy, ailments kids may or may not mention to an adult. Joan Meiners and Katie Worth, The Arizona Republic, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lethargy 

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Cite this Entry

“Lethargy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lethargy. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

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