Definition of stupornext
as in boredom
physical or mental inertness shocked by news of impending layoffs, the workers shuffled through their shift in a quiet stupor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the noun stupor contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of stupor are languor, lassitude, lethargy, and torpor. While all these words mean "physical or mental inertness," stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.

lapsed into an alcoholic stupor

When is languor a more appropriate choice than stupor?

The words languor and stupor can be used in similar contexts, but languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love.

languor induced by a tropical vacation

When would lassitude be a good substitute for stupor?

The synonyms lassitude and stupor are sometimes interchangeable, but lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health.

a depression marked by lassitude

Where would lethargy be a reasonable alternative to stupor?

In some situations, the words lethargy and stupor are roughly equivalent. However, lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs.

months of lethargy followed my accident

When is it sensible to use torpor instead of stupor?

While the synonyms torpor and stupor are close in meaning, torpor implies a state of suspended animation as of hibernating animals but may suggest merely extreme sluggishness.

a once alert mind now in a torpor

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 stupor The 14-month-old was diagnosed with alcohol intoxication with complications and stupor, as well as acute respiratory failure, according to The Advocate and WBRZ. Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026 But now, the Outback appears to be out of its stupor. Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 June 2026 Patrons — many just as panicked and some in a drunken stupor — ran by her. Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026 That’s not to say there isn’t a company-wide stupor after last week’s bombshells. Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stupor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stupor
Noun
  • Conversely, if the term is meant as an insult, then a critic should describe the underlying mechanisms which produce the boredom in question.
    Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
  • While stereotypes focus on tragedy and horror, Rosales reorients our gaze, revealing moments of tenderness and boredom, rest and joy.
    Myriam Gurba, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Be aware of and report any coyotes exhibiting behavior indicative of rabies, such as staggering, seizures and extreme lethargy.
    Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Its bureaucratic process and institutional lethargy are proving, unexpectedly, to be an asset in an age of instability.
    JONAS NAHM, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Guglielmo wondered whether godwits did something similar, even though hanging motionless in a torpor seems pretty different from flying.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • For all its characteristic restraint and formal diligence, Killing Spree is a book that wants to make noise, to cut through the dead air with cries of grief and rage, undoing our own savage torpor.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stupor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stupor. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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