languid

adjective

lan·guid ˈlaŋ-gwəd

Synonyms of languid

: drooping or flagging from or as if from exhaustion : weak

arms too languid with happiness to embrace him—John Galsworthy

: sluggish in character or disposition : listless

proceeded at a languid pace

: lacking force or quickness of movement : slow

languidly adverb

languidness noun

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What Is the Difference Between languid and languorous?

Lack, lack, lack. Languid is all about lack. Depending on its context, the word can suggest a lack of strength, lack of energy, or lack of activity. The lack-of-strength sense of languid describes the kind of sluggishness that often results from fatigue or weakness, as in “the illness left her feeling languid.” The lack-of-energy sense is synonymous with listless, and often describes someone’s character or disposition as a result of dissatisfaction or sadness. Lastly, there’s the lack-of-activity sense of languid, as in “investors are worried about the languid stock market.” So languid is a total bummer, right? Not so (ahem) fast! Sometimes it’s a good thing to dillydally, and languid has also long been used to describe stretches of time—think afternoons, days, summers, etc.—that are relatively and perhaps pleasantly chill.

Choose the Right Synonym for languid

languid, languorous, lackadaisical, listless, spiritless mean lacking energy or enthusiasm.

languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.

was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery

languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.

languorous cats lying in the sun

lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.

lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study

listless suggests a lack of interest caused by physical weakness or dissatisfied boredom.

listless hospital patients

listless children flipping through picture books on a rainy day

spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.

a spiritless recital of the poem

Examples of languid in a Sentence

They proceeded at a languid pace. It was a hot, languid summer day.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

Enjoy a languid afternoon in the outdoor bathtub situated beneath a canopy of trees. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2025 For the first time since 1986, St. John’s won both the Big East regular and conference tournament championships; the Red Storm packed Madison Square Garden all season and brought pizazz back to a New York City college basketball scene that felt languid for decades. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 20 Mar. 2025 In the course of the nineteen-eighties, New York transformed from a flaming wasteland of muggings, languid professionalism, and underground parties into a despoiled wilderness of muggings, careerism, and public glitz. —Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025 Their music splayed Ayers’ pillowy vibraphone tones across languid jazz-funk grooves that formed the bedrock for neo-soul—and, through sampling, much of West Coast hip-hop—to come. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for languid