Synonyms of listless

listless 1 of 2

adjective

ˈlist-ləs 

as in tired

lacking bodily energy or motivation

when I had the flu, I felt listless and worn-out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tired
• spiritless
• exhausted
• limp
• lackadaisical
• sleepy
• languid
• languorous
• weak
• languishing
• weary
• enervated
• lethargic
• lazy
• sluggish
• indolent
• feeble
• slothful
• torpid
• dull
• apathetic
• indifferent
• stolid
• phlegmatic
• careless
• thoughtless
• impassive
• frail
• inert
• knackered
• inactive
• heedless
• logy
• unwary

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• energetic
• active
• ambitious
• motivated
• animated
• enterprising
• dynamic
• kinetic
• industrious
• enthusiastic
• eager
• lively
• pumped
• vivacious
• cheerful
• avid
• perky
• keen
• up
• sleepless
• awake
• watchful
• wide-awake
• alert
• vigilant
• chipper
• dapper
• open-eyed
• agog

listlessness

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boredom
• lethargy
• stupor
• lassitude
• languor
• fatigue
• torpor
• indifference
• laziness
• malaise
• hebetude
• sleepiness
• inaction
• narcosis
• idleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• vigor
• vitality
• vivacity
• enthusiasm
• eagerness
• vim
• ambition
• enterprise
• spiritedness
• keenness

2

as in restlessness

the state of being bored

we searched desperately for something to jar us out of our listlessness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• boredom
• restlessness
• ennui
• weariness
• tedium
• melancholy
• blahs
• lethargy
• doldrums
• dullness
• indifference
• joylessness
• lassitude
• languor
• monotony
• cheerlessness
• lifelessness
• torpidity
• torpor
• apathy
• languidness
• unconcern
• sameness
• dispiritedness
• monotonousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• absorption
• fascination
• involvement
• excitement
• stimulation
• enchantment
• engrossment
• engagement
• immersion
• captivation
• bewitchment
• animation
• amusement
• beguilement
• relief
• entertainment
• invigoration
• diversion
• enlivenment

3

as in weakness

the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor

general listlessness is often a side effect of chemotherapy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weakness
• exhaustion
• fatigue
• languor
• feebleness
• debility
• enervation
• faintness
• asthenia
• debilitation
• infirmity
• lowness
• injury
• languidness
• impairment
• fragility
• enfeeblement
• decay
• frailty
• wimpiness
• tenderness
• frailness
• disablement
• breakdown
• weariness
• lassitude
• decrepitude
• helplessness
• prostration
• collapse
• damage
• delicacy
• impotence
• powerlessness
• softness
• invalidism
• incapacitation
• hurt
• defenselessness
• impuissance
• harm
• effeteness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strength
• vigor
• vitality
• hardiness
• energy
• robustness
• hardihood
• virility
• fitness
• huskiness
• muscularity
• hardness
• toughness
• stoutness
• health
• ruggedness
• lustiness
• sturdiness
• soundness
• brawniness
• wellness
• heftiness
• healthiness

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

Recent Examples of listless

Adjective

The length exacerbates all the rest of the series' sins, including a lack of emotional depth, gratuitous suffering and violence, long stretches of boring, listless plotting and extraneous characters. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Instead of the fantastical, even beautiful diaper sculptures, we were served the waste products of listless consumption. — Theo Belci, Artforum, 2 June 2026

Noun

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