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
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
Inside, though, Ingrid is in a state of torpid discontent, unhappy with her circumstances but unsure of how to change them.
—Sarah Chihaya, The New York Review of Books, 25 May 2022
The water was so torpid that a thick layer of dust had settled onto it, giving it a cheerless brown tinge.
—Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2022
The ongoing slog has come to symbolize the dilemma multinationals face when confronting Germany’s notoriously torpid bureaucracy.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for torpid
Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2022
Inside, though, Ingrid is in a state of torpid discontent, unhappy with her circumstances but unsure of how to change them.
—Sarah Chihaya, The New York Review of Books, 25 May 2022
The water was so torpid that a thick layer of dust had settled onto it, giving it a cheerless brown tinge.
—Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2022
The ongoing slog has come to symbolize the dilemma multinationals face when confronting Germany’s notoriously torpid bureaucracy.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for torpid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torpid
Adjective
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The goal is to evolve The Really Useful Group from a sleepy theater company into an entertainment powerhouse with a hand in everything from gaming to movies to consumer products.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
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By the time morning arrives in the sleepy hamlet of Maybrook, Pennsylvania only one student, Alexy Lilly (Cary Christopher) remains.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Hairpins proved the steering and suspension rapid enough to rotate the car quickly, and what felt like numb steering initially began to reveal some information about road surfaces and available grip as the road surface changed then changed again.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
23 July 2025
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These include feeling emotionally numb or that life is meaningless; experiencing difficulty accepting the loss; and experiencing confusion over their own identity.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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The shampoo won't clean as well and can leave behind residue that makes your hair look dull and lifeless.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Aug. 2025
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With major season getting over, August is dull, and McIlroy's absence has become a lightning rod for debates about player responsibility and the Tour's authority.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Club name Home Depot is another one that’s been hurt by sluggish housing activity.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
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Most industry commentators attribute the sluggish hiring trends to the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).—
Anjana Susarla,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Within 30 minutes of being picked up, Giovanni texted his mother, who had been studying for an upcoming pharmacy board exam and was asleep.—
Janelle Griffith,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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The clip shows a woman—who is said to be around 6.5 feet tall—gingerly climbing over a fellow passenger who appears to be asleep in the aisle seat.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Collectively, beleaguered grids and logistical challenges means those sweaty nights and lethargic days risk becoming part and parcel of European summers.—
Taco Engelaar,
Fortune,
11 Aug. 2025
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Well, that came to an end in Game 5 as McDavid was slowed as part of a mostly lethargic pace throughout the night.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Khanna is one of a number of progressive congressional Democrats encouraged by the party to appear in red-district town halls in an attempt to rebut impressions that the party is quiescent in the face of Trump’s onslaught.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
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That means studying these high-speed outflows from this black hole could help scientists to discover how black hole eruptions transform galaxies from hubs of star birth to a more quiescent existence.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torpid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torpid. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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