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
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In total, the men would spend 144 days aboard the listless vessel, until they were rescued June 15 by a Japanese fishing ship about 700 miles from Honolulu and 4,000 miles from Costa Rica.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Ohtani—the Dodgers’ 10-year, $700 million man—came into the game with one hit in the best-of-seven series against the listless Milwaukee Brewers, who now trail 3-0 after losing, 3-1, at Dodger Stadium Thursday night.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The first turned a fourth-quarter fumble into a 59-yard score when Achane burst through a tired, and seemingly defeated Buffalo defensive front and outsprinted the Bills’ entire secondary to the end zone.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
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But that feels like a tired, outdated characterisation.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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There’s a sanguine sweetness to the proceedings, and a lackadaisical approach to dry joke delivery that sort of resembles Wes Anderson’s stop-motion work like The Fantastic Mr. Fox (and to a lesser degree his live-action movies).—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
22 Oct. 2025
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However the United Farmworkers Union has contended that staff shortages and lackadaisical management prevent the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, from effectively enforcing those rules, leading to workers’ debilitating conditions and even death.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Two shivering dogs now sat in her backseat, exhausted but safe.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
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Surely that has increasing resonance among the politically exhausted and spiritually disenchanted.—
Abby McCloskey,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The company attributed the decline to weak demand, shifting some shipments to Q4 and an unfavorable mix.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Nov. 2025
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It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems and pregnant women.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
Freep.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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After arriving at the residential property, a woman, who was not publicly identified, rushed toward him while carrying the limp baby in her arms.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Chip had marked the birds down and brought them to me, warm, soft, and limp, one at a time.—
Joel M. Vance,
Outdoor Life,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
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One-sided, slightly tipping top-handle bags emerged as well as mesh and net bags, also supporting the more languid fluid rtw looks.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The album took soul and gospel cues from his first record and extended them into languorous jams.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
14 Oct. 2025
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As the days grow shorter and darker, and temperatures drop, there’s nothing quite like knowing there’s a warm, welcoming bed awaiting you at home to usher in a cozy night’s sleep, and long, languorous mornings when time allows.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiritless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiritless. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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