John Galsworthy
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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.
Examples of languid in a Sentence
John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
This straightforward plot is often broken up by poetic interludes, made up of languid shots of a changing cityscape.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Mar. 2025
But even for those lacking a green thumb, spending a languid afternoon in these beautifully biodiverse spaces offers an invigorating way to experience nature throughout the changing seasons.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 14 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
Cite this Entry
“Languid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/languid. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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