1
as in boredom
physical or mental inertness
following a couple of big mistakes early in the game, the team sank into an uncharacteristic listlessness and was never able to recover the lead
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in restlessness
the state of being bored
we searched desperately for something to jar us out of our listlessness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weakness
the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor
general listlessness is often a side effect of chemotherapy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of listlessness
But while it’s bound to be emotional, this transition doesn’t have to be a time of listlessness and sadness.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Mar. 2026
These signs include loss of appetite, weight loss, lack of energy, listlessness or clinginess and loss of interest in physical play.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
And the locker room could feel the listlessness heading into the game.
—Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
After a year of listlessness, the Democrats experienced their first major electoral string of victories on Tuesday, sweeping the Republicans in every major race.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CWD can take months to years for symptoms to appear, which could include drastic weight loss, stumbling or lack of coordination, drooling and listlessness.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
In the second half, veteran center Garrett Bradbury sensed the Patriots offense stalling from its own listlessness.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Mar. 2026
These signs include loss of appetite, weight loss, lack of energy, listlessness or clinginess and loss of interest in physical play.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
And the locker room could feel the listlessness heading into the game.
—Charlotte Observer, 10 Nov. 2025
After a year of listlessness, the Democrats experienced their first major electoral string of victories on Tuesday, sweeping the Republicans in every major race.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 7 Nov. 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CWD can take months to years for symptoms to appear, which could include drastic weight loss, stumbling or lack of coordination, drooling and listlessness.
—Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 30 Oct. 2025
In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
In the second half, veteran center Garrett Bradbury sensed the Patriots offense stalling from its own listlessness.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listlessness
Noun
-
His father bought him the plane ticket after Jeffrey found himself in a bit of a boredom rut with friends and getting into the wrong kind of trouble.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Only Clark’s passivity seems more out of the boredom of having peaked at local-news celebrity status than anything else.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The president's endorsement didn't clear the GOP crowded field to replace Greene — some observers cast that as a sign of weakness — but Fuller easily overcame other Republican contenders.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
11 Mar. 2026
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Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Just a nibble on a leaf or petal can lead to rapid kidney damage with loss of appetite, vomiting, hypersalivation, lethargy and sometimes neurological signs such as stumbling, tremors and seizures.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
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This was team-wide lethargy by a club that was without leading scorer Travis Konecny (upper-body injury) for the second straight game and defenseman Nick Seeler (lower-body injury), who was hurt Monday in Toronto.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Long work hours, overnight shifts, sleep disorders, and extended periods of driving can all contribute to exhaustion.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
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Holding the mic light in his hand, barely touching it, like a delicate flower, trying to hide the exhaustion in his voice.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Patrons — many just as panicked and some in a drunken stupor — ran by her.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Mar. 2026
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That’s not to say there isn’t a company-wide stupor after last week’s bombshells.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But for activities that involve roughly 90 minutes of continuous effort, according to Fray, rapid carbohydrate and electrolyte delivery can help delay fatigue.—
Marisa McMillan,
Outside,
14 Mar. 2026
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The wheels fell off in the game’s final minutes, with the Bulls’ lead ballooning to as many as 25 points and capitalizing on Charlotte’s fatigue.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Listlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listlessness. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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