TORPID Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

torpid

adjective

ˈtȯr-pəd

Definition of torpid

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

as in numb

lacking in sensation or feeling my tongue and throat remained torpid for a time following the endoscopy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for torpid

Adjective

Illustration by Patricia Bolaños In sleepy South Slope, a local son in search of a beer bar walked past a familiar, long-shuttered laundromat.

— Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Carlotta and Dedo have to do everything in their power to prove her innocence and avoid losing her again, with their investigation taking them to the heart of their sleepy suburban town, Sundersheim.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

At one point in the swim, her hand went directly into a compass jellyfish, leaving it numb for a while.

— Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2026
On one Anderson sack late in the first quarter, Allen kicked his feet in agony and later revealed the hit made his left arm go numb.

— Tim Graham, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of numb

Adjective

Gently Scrape It Off Once the wax has fully hardened, use a dull tool, like as a butter knife or hard plastic spatula, to gently lift it off the fabric.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
No stranger to the brand’s lineup (hey, Ginseng Essence Water and Revive Serum), ginseng is a key ingredient in this formula, helping to brighten dull skin, boost circulation, and provide all the calming vibes.

— Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

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
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

Definition of numbed

Adjective

Questions over how reform should go Schwesig and others in the governing parties have cast doubt on aspects of the federal government’s reform agenda, which is meant to bolster a chronically sluggish economy.

— Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
Schwesig and others in the governing parties have cast doubt on aspects of the federal government's reform agenda, which is meant to bolster a chronically sluggish economy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of sluggish

Adjective

One burns the only copy of her sister’s precious handwritten manuscript; at least two others set houses on fire, one while her unsuspecting parents are still asleep inside.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Before couples give up and split into separate rooms, a growing lineup of snoring solutions is trying to keep both people in the same bed and both people actually asleep.

— Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of asleep

Adjective

The national committee has faced a host of criticism from other Democrats for its lethargic fundraising, including calls for DNC Chair Ken Martin to step down that have so far gone unheeded.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026
The show was also horribly paced, with way too many pointless instrumental spotlights that somehow managed to come across as both showy and lethargic at the same time.

— Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of lethargic

Browse Nearby Words

torpedoes

torpid

torpidity

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Style

“Torpid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torpid. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of torpid

adjective

Example Sentences

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