as in tired
lacking bodily energy or motivation
when I had the flu, I felt listless and worn-out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
10 May 2026
Carrying the largest payroll in franchise history with World Series-or-bust expectations, the Phillies have played listless baseball for much of April, entering Tuesday with a 9-19 mark.
—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for listless
Adjective
The latest instance was a listless 5-0 loss in the finale of a series against the Reds, who took two of three against them at Great American Ball Park, dropping their record to 16-25.
—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
10 May 2026
Carrying the largest payroll in franchise history with World Series-or-bust expectations, the Phillies have played listless baseball for much of April, entering Tuesday with a 9-19 mark.
—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 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
See All Example Sentences for listless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listless
Adjective
-
Hollywood Plot Lines and Reality These are the tired questions every UFO skeptic asks.
-
If your complexion tends to look flat or tired by midday, this powder can help bring back some radiance.
Adjective
-
The Chiefs turned that spiritless first half into a 28-7 blowout Monday night against the Commanders, opening the second half with touchdown drives of 80, 75 and 94 yards.
-
From spiritless spirits to refusing to open up a bar tab, members of Generation Z are continuing to challenge alcohol traditions.
Adjective
-
Research shows over half of American travelers feel exhausted, with one in five admitting to booking a trip out of anger.
-
But Raj is feverish, foggy, and exhausted.
Adjective
-
Zeolite absorbs excess oil while silk powder creates airy body and grit, making limp hair look instantly fuller and more lived-in.
-
Sauté green and red pepper and onions in butter until limp; set aside.
Adjective
-
In the interest of not having to rehash the now-familiar back and forth, Ibrahimović stated that Lalas’ criticism of the French squad’s lackadaisical first-half efforts was rooted in ignorance, this despite the fact that his beef should have been directed at match analyst Landon Donovan.
-
Because two years in, Kel’el Ware has been both a dynamic contributor and a lackadaisical bystander.
Adjective
-
Summer is a sleepy season for new cookbooks.
-
On paper, New York State Comptroller is a sleepy job.
Adjective
-
Four, graciously sized outdoor pools—all carved in local stone and lined with plush loungers—invite long, languid afternoons.
-
The consumer economy, though, is flagging; pork prices have plunged amid a glut and languid spending, in a microcosm of muted demand in the country.
Adjective
-
Adorned with almost graphically violent labels showcasing alpha predators -- a shark, a grizzly, an orca, a lion and some sort of particularly angry bird of prey -- the bottles are a far cry from the placid villas and languorous ladies plastered across so many wines.
-
Their first statement signing to launch the project was the €42m purchase of the lanky and languorous Argentine playmaker.
Cite this Entry
“Listless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listless. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
