sluggard 1 of 2

noun

ˈslə-gərd How to pronounce sluggard (audio)
Definition of sluggardnext
as in slug
a lazy person tried to wake up the sluggards who were still sleeping at that late hour

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sluggard

2 of 2

adjective

as in slothful

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 sluggard
Noun
Scar then proceeds to desolate the kingdom, with the help of hyenas, while Simba, in exile, grows up to become a pleasure-hunting, grub-eating sluggard. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 19 July 2019 Clearly, supervision at your job is lax, and your sluggard classmate is taking advantage of that. — Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2017 Slug was – is – a variant on sluggard, which was actually used as a surname for some time, apparently. — Ruth Walker, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Sep. 2017 French workers, whom the British like to dismiss as holiday-hogging sluggards, are more productive than the British. — The Economist, 31 Aug. 2017
Adjective
The stock really has not done much of anything in the last five years, the stock following a similar sluggard pattern of the company’s revenue line. — Moneyshow, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sluggard
  1. slug
  2. slothful
  3. snail
  4. lazy
  5. drone
  6. indolent
  7. idler
  8. shiftless
Noun
  • Unfortunately, night watering creates the perfect conditions for slugs and pathogens to thrive.
    — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 23 July 2026
  • Baking soda can help prevent powdery mildew, kill weeds, repel slugs, and clean produce, but must be used sparingly.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026
Definition of slug
Adjective
  • That they would be regarded as slothful morons who aren't worth the price of a ticket of admission.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 2 Feb. 2026
  • Soviet Russia, too, experienced periodic panics about slothful bureaucrats impeding the dictatorship of the proletariat.
    — Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of slothful
Noun
  • With construction, egg masses buried beneath sand may not survive, and dredging can also release pollutants, including heavy metals, that could affect the iconic snail.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 27 July 2026
  • Several studies have found that snail mucus secretions can kill bacteria and prevent skin infections from worsening, especially when applied to wounds.
    — Laura Dorwart, Health, 22 July 2026
Definition of snail
Adjective
  • Traditional lazy Susans only work on round tables -- enter The Lazy Susan Revolution, a patented system designed specifically for long, rectangular and oval tables, bringing every dish within reach of every guest.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Most of my procrastination stems from being too lazy to expertly fold my clothes properly in my suitcase to avoid wrinkles.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of lazy
Noun
  • There’s not a whole lot that can be done to harden them against bombs and drones.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Kuwait said on Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country's north.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of drone
Adjective
  • Every journey with indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) is unique, but my journey with ISM has been especially unique.
    — Shannon Dingey, Health, 1 July 2026
  • No, rest is for the lazy, the Caucasian adolescent, the indolent, the indulgent—until the age of thirty.
    — Taiye Selasi, New Yorker, 31 May 2026
Definition of indolent
Noun
  • Their name exudes the essence of an idler and slacker, but women’s loafers themselves are quite the opposite.
    — Gaby Keiderling, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Jan. 2023
  • This represents the loss of an idea of what the capital should represent, the removal of a place that was an idler’s haven.
    — Anandi Mishra, The Atlantic, 30 July 2022
Definition of idler
Adjective
  • Why didn’t Tania just get one of her fellow Council wokesters to hire her shiftless, entitled kin?
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Sep. 2025
  • After the volunteers slink back to Paddy’s, the most shiftless person on campus will once again be Principal Coleman (Janelle James), whose ineptitude and vanity don’t prevent her from advocating for the students from time to time.
    — Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2025
Definition of shiftless

Browse Nearby Words

slugfests
sluggard
sluggardly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sluggard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sluggard. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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