as in listless
lacking bodily energy or motivation
he was spiritless and depressed for weeks after being fired
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Recent Examples of spiritless
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.
—
Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
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
Amid the spiritless spirits and a bevy of alcohol-free wines, ciders, and beers, luxury sparkling teas are comfortably the most exciting emerging trend in the low and no-alcohol sphere.
—Camille Berry, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
Dance sections lacked charm; lyric passages were spiritless; the klezmer episodes in the third movement were strictly goyish.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Yet the club dropped the contest in spiritless fashion, 6-2.
—Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2023
Lil Wayne is not tolerating spiritless crowds at his shows.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 15 May 2023
Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2025
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
Amid the spiritless spirits and a bevy of alcohol-free wines, ciders, and beers, luxury sparkling teas are comfortably the most exciting emerging trend in the low and no-alcohol sphere.
—Camille Berry, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
Dance sections lacked charm; lyric passages were spiritless; the klezmer episodes in the third movement were strictly goyish.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Yet the club dropped the contest in spiritless fashion, 6-2.
—Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2023
Lil Wayne is not tolerating spiritless crowds at his shows.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 15 May 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiritless
Adjective
-
Pageau smashed home his second goal late in the third to finish off a listless Flyers team.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Against the Patriots, the Chargers appeared even more listless as Herbert struggled to connect with his receivers, completing 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards.—
Los Angeles Times staff,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Plush cushioning on the insoles relieves tired feet during the day, making these comfortable enough to wear for hours.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Some people are probably tired of hearing my name.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
With Minnesota leading by four and 1 minute, 10 seconds to play, Edwards got lackadaisical in his off-ball defense while guarding Chicago’s most potent scorer, Coby White.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
23 Jan. 2026
-
In past years Newsom has been lackadaisical about delivering the annual State of the State message to the Legislature that the state Constitution requires.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What is rarely quantified, however, is the ways in which extended family—like aunties—often supplement what may be otherwise lacking, limited or exhausted.—
Ashley Simpo,
Parents,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Near the end of the movie, there’s a heavy sense of dread—everyone feels hopeless, and exhausted.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump has directed his ire toward the Department of Labor agency ever since former Commissioner Erika McEntarfer authorized the release of a weak jobs report last summer.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Procedures harden, decision paths lengthen, and people wait for permission rather than acting on weak signals from the environment.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Tomato stalks broke in two, my mother’s peppers dangled like limp green earrings from the stem.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The outer leaves should be tightly packed and crisp, not limp or dry.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Through heightened control of imagery and mood, attention to composition and texture and sound, Manuel turns this simple, languid setting into something far more sinister without ever betraying the beauty of what’s onscreen.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
24 Jan. 2026
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Afternoons are made for fresh piña coladas, languid sun worshipping, and offshore adventures on motorboats fully stocked with snorkels, fins, and local beer.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Wicker, rattan, raffia, and marble make comfortable bedfellows, and all rooms have terraces with huge daybeds for languorous post-pilates reading sessions in the sun.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The album took soul and gospel cues from his first record and extended them into languorous jams.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiritless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiritless. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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