1
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
a torpid sloth that refused to budge off its tree branch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
my tongue and throat remained torpid for a time following the endoscopy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torpid
The sequel, by contrast, is torpid, clogged with lengthy but uninteresting tête-à-têtes and generally lacking in vigor, even in the two blowout battle scenes in the final act.
—
Kyle Smith, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022
Even since Thailand’s 2014 coup d’etat that brought Prayuth to power, reform of the police has topped the agenda, yet progress has been torpid.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Oct. 2022
The intensity of that airlift — one of the largest in history — stands in sharp contrast to the torpid pace of evacuations after the withdrawal.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022
This lowers the body temperature so much that a torpid hummingbird maintains a hypothermic threshold that nears death.
—Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for torpid
Kyle Smith, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022
Even since Thailand’s 2014 coup d’etat that brought Prayuth to power, reform of the police has topped the agenda, yet progress has been torpid.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Oct. 2022
The intensity of that airlift — one of the largest in history — stands in sharp contrast to the torpid pace of evacuations after the withdrawal.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022
This lowers the body temperature so much that a torpid hummingbird maintains a hypothermic threshold that nears death.
—Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for torpid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torpid
Adjective
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Spanning 160 miles from east to west, our advice is to make this a multi-stay getaway—perhaps starting in ever-popular Chania or Heraklion before road tripping to quiet coastal enclaves, sleepy historic villages, and expansive mountain valleys.—
Katie Silcox,
Vogue,
28 May 2026
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After experiencing sinister, otherworldly events in the not-so-sleepy retirement community, Sam teams up with his neighbors Art (Clarke Peters), Judy (Alfre Woodard), Renee (Geena Davis), Wally (Denis O'Hare) and Paz (Carlos Miranda).—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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So many of the players were numb late Monday night, unable to process the way their season ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 of the second round.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
20 May 2026
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Panettiere writes candidly about using alcohol to numb depression, trauma and emotional pain, describing addiction as an all-consuming cycle of denial and desperation.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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But Pace says its AI agents can handle the dull work that insurers typically outsource to massive offshore human call centers.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Many things work in Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’s favor, distinguishing it from some of the duller comps in the past several years.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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After a sluggish start to the season, Spaun has quietly begun to round into form.—
Jeff Goudy,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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Then comes the Boring Billion, when even mantle convection and tectonic plate movement seem to have been sluggish.—
Scott K. Johnson,
ArsTechnica,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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The sleep disorder leads to an overwhelming urge to fall asleep during the day, even when a person is well-rested, according to the Cleveland Clinic.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
26 May 2026
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Studies have found that regularly eating fish is associated with improved sleep quality, falling asleep more easily, and better daytime functioning.—
Trista Chan,
Health,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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The Cavs looked lethargic, the building lacked energy because the home team gave them nothing to cheer for and now this erratic, inconsistent season could come to an end Monday night.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
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In a film running a lethargic 2 hours 20 minutes, the Farhadis have kept only the set-up and composer Zbigniew Preisner’s delicate but hauntingly emotional score.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Flights via the Gulf are being restored as the Iran conflict remains quiescent, but tourists are staying away from the region itself.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
7 May 2026
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Local Democratic politicians were strangely quiescent, despite a pre–Catahoula Crunch poll showing that nearly 80 percent of New Orleans residents opposed the deployment.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torpid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torpid. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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