Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective listless differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of listless are lackadaisical, languid, languorous, and spiritless. While all these words mean "lacking energy or enthusiasm," 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 can lackadaisical be used instead of listless?

While the synonyms lackadaisical and listless are close in meaning, lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.

lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study

When might languid be a better fit than listless?

The words languid and listless are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.

was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery

When is it sensible to use languorous instead of listless?

The words languorous and listless can be used in similar contexts, but languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.

languorous cats lying in the sun

When would spiritless be a good substitute for listless?

Although the words spiritless and listless have much in common, spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.

a spiritless recital of the poem

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 listless Another reason to like the Niners is the revenge factor after their listless 47-24 loss to Arizona in Week 18 last January. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025 The air was damp and listless and the heat was something to wade through, thick as molasses. Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025 Day 4 Observations Utah blasted a listless Orlando team to open the final day of the season. Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025 The flags that ring the Washington Monument's base are drooping and listless. Bill Chappell, NPR, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for listless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listless
Adjective
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • If the Jays can take advantage of a tired Seattle squad in the first two games of this contest, their grip on the series could be hard to overcome.
    The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • From spiritless spirits to refusing to open up a bar tab, members of Generation Z are continuing to challenge alcohol traditions.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The Senators looked spiritless days ago in their building Saturday night ahead of Game 4.
    Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • By daybreak, we were soaked, hungry, and exhausted.
    Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Once the jaguar is secure on the floatation device, the rescue vessel carries the exhausted predator along the river — one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon — towards land.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Out of nowhere, like a limp marionette, Dakota would drop to the ground.
    Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
  • However, many stylists specifically recommend the treatment for anyone with fine, limp, lifeless hair that tends to get oily, in particular.
    Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • However the United Farmworkers Union has contended that staff shortages and lackadaisical management prevent the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, from effectively enforcing those rules, leading to workers’ debilitating conditions and even death.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Those helped speed up gentrification by attracting wealthy mainland investors with tax incentives and the PROMESA Act by President Obama in 2016, as well as the lackadaisical response by President Trump’s government during and after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
    Angel Diaz, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • And while your mind may immediately go to the always sunny beaches in Florida or the upscale vibe of Hilton Head Island, the often overlooked sleepier towns are well worth a visit.
    Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025
  • For the president of La Liga, who has turned Spain’s once-sleepy domestic league into a global media brand, exporting Spanish football to the United States has always been the logical next step.
    Asli Pelit, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Ferragamo leaned into languid elegance — soft silhouettes, rich color and covetable bags that reinforce the house codes.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
  • While not abandoning core design DNA—crisp, modern tailoring, languid sensuality, and oodles of good taste to wit—the brand delivered a collection that felt like a breath of fresh air.
    Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As the days grow shorter and darker, and temperatures drop, there’s nothing quite like knowing there’s a warm, welcoming bed awaiting you at home to usher in a cozy night’s sleep, and long, languorous mornings when time allows.
    Hannah Coates, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The prevailing trend, and antidote to turbulent, ever-changing times, was rather zen, languorous and quieting.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Listless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listless. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.

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