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

But only a few days ago, this sleepy community was struck by tragedy when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old father and Colombian national.

— Carine Hajjar, Washington Post, 21 July 2026
The formerly sleepy economies of suburban Austin, Texas and Syracuse, NY are getting two new semiconductor chip plants.

— Adrian Ma, NPR, 21 July 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

If cancer has spread to nearby tissues or organs, other signs may include difficulty or pain with peeing, loss of appetite and weight, dull backache or swelling in your legs, pelvic and abdominal pain, diarrhea and fatigue.

— Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
But to everybody else, 1966 was a dull tournament, characterised by lenient refereeing that meant the star players — particularly Pele — struggled to have an impact.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 23 July 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

But sluggish economic recovery in the country raises questions about whether all the oil money has been made available for Venezuela’s use, according to the Financial Times.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2026
But those details are unlikely to allay investors’ near-term concerns about the sluggish growth of the service and its ability to compete with market leader Waymo, which drives millions of miles per week.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

Definition of sluggish

Adjective

In that corner of the room, beside that window in the house in Stromness overlooking the small harbor, on a sofa upholstered in threadbare sailcloth, lay Paul, asleep.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
If the seatbelt sign is on for turbulence or you’re stuck in the window seat and two people next to you are asleep.

— Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 22 July 2026

Definition of asleep

Adjective

If your dog is stumbling, lethargic, vomiting, collapses or is unresponsive, contact a vet immediately while working to cool down your dog.

— Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 July 2026
Signs of heat stroke in dogs include heavy panting and drooling, being weak or lethargic, bright red gums and bloodshot eyes.

— Renee Anderson, CBS News, 29 June 2026

Definition of lethargic

Adjective

Experts believe the volcano is currently in a quiescent state, but researchers monitor it around the clock.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
For galaxies with a quiescent supermassive black hole, astronomers measure how quickly the stars tightly packed near the center of the galaxy are traveling.

— Mary Ogborn, The Conversation, 25 June 2026

Definition of quiescent

Browse Nearby Words

torpedoes

torpid

torpidity

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“Torpid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torpid. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of torpid

adjective

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