1
as in slow
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the sluggish pace of the project is worrisome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
reptiles are naturally sluggish at low temperatures
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 sluggish
After a sluggish 2023 in which Bay Area home sales sank to the lowest level in 15 years, activity across the nine-county region rose 9% in 2024 as buyers and sellers came to terms with higher interest rates.
—
Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
The big picture: While many cities have largely emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, cities like Portland are making a sluggish recovery.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025
Germany’s sluggish economy While the DAX has been on the rise, the German economy has been sluggish for some time, with its full-year gross domestic product declining consecutively in 2023 and 2024.
—Ganesh Rao,sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025
The production, directed by Mina Morita, renders the play in solid, if slightly sluggish, fashion.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sluggish 
Kate Talerico, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
The big picture: While many cities have largely emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, cities like Portland are making a sluggish recovery.
—Meira Gebel, Axios, 23 Jan. 2025
Germany’s sluggish economy While the DAX has been on the rise, the German economy has been sluggish for some time, with its full-year gross domestic product declining consecutively in 2023 and 2024.
—Ganesh Rao,sophie Kiderlin, CNBC, 21 Jan. 2025
The production, directed by Mina Morita, renders the play in solid, if slightly sluggish, fashion.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sluggish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sluggish
Adjective
-
This will include recruiting mercenaries and migrants to offset losses on the front line where Russian forces are making slow gains but at a considerable cost in personnel.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Larson continued to speak at a slower cadence but ran out of time and was not able to finish what was meant to be a five-minute speech.—
Andrew Solender,
Axios,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This edition of the Chicago Collective will mark the first without Bruce Schedler, the executive who revamped what was a sleepy regional menswear show into the must-attend market for independent stores from around the country.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
WWD,
31 Jan. 2025
-
The siblings made their appearance at Intuit after midnight (and after 3 a.m. ET), not to wake up sleepy viewers but to offer them a lullaby with a three-song acoustic set.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
31 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The contrast detailing gives the classic silhouette a polished touch, while the lightweight, flowy fabric moves beautifully—whether you're headed to a spring wedding, a beach vacation, or just a leisurely Saturday stroll.—
Kaitlin Marks,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Fortunately, all of the bookstores in the region — a few of them dangerously close to the fires — are still standing, and for many customers, the leisurely impulse to buy a book has taken on new urgency.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
For a company known for its ingenuity, Disney seemed to phone it in this year by spending their precious millions on a dull ad that imagines a universe without their iconic IP.—
Rob LeDonne,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2025
-
The female is dull yellow-green without any markings.—
Stan Tekiela,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Water temperatures in Pensacola Beach hit 47 degrees on Jan. 23, prompting calls from beachgoers who spotted lethargic turtles washing up on shore, according to Gulf Coast Turtle Watch.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2025
-
That’s fewer sales than the extended lethargic markets of the early-to-mid 1990s.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Orange County Register,
17 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to sluggish
Thesaurus Entries Near sluggish
Cite this Entry
“Sluggish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sluggish. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share