Synonyms for sluggish
- adjective
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Slow — slow; having little motion
slow, torpid, lethargic, languid, inert, slow-moving, stagnant, tardy formal, slow as molasses, inactive, heavy, draggy informal, lifeless, languorous, leaden, lumbering, tedious, phlegmatic, slack, dilatory, glacial, supine
2. Dull — characteristic of a sluggard; dull; stupid; tame; simple
dull, sleepy, drowsy, stupid, dull-headed, dull-witted, dozy, slow-witted, dense, dopey, dim-witted, dim, backward, obtuse, lumpish, thickheaded informal, insipid, stolid, half-witted, foolish, wan, heartless
3. Lazy — habitually idle and lazy; slothful; dull; inactive
lazy, slothful, idle, indolent, lackadaisical, apathetic, soggy, otiose
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Habitually idle and lazy; slothful; dull; inactive
- adj. 2
Slow; having little motion.
- adj. 3
Characteristic of a sluggard; dull; stupid; tame; simple.
Related words
- Word family
- sluggishly sluggishness
- Phrases
- sluggish cognitive tempo
Choose the right word
The inert person seems like dead matter (characterized by inertia), powerless to move; the sluggish moves heavily and toilsomely; the most active person may sometimes find the bodily or mental powers sluggish.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- slow He who is slow to promise is best in keeping them.
- lethargic The forum looks lethargic; maybe it's your diet.
- torpid When it gets cold, the turtles become torpid.
- sleepy Refresh yourself with a cup of coffee when sleepy.
- drowsy Nemesio had gotten drowsy rocking the baby shrews.
By length
- 3 letters
- wan1, dim1
- 4 letters
- slow1, lazy2, dull1, idle2, dozy
- 5 letters
- heavy2, dense1, slack1, inert2, soggy2, tardy2, dopey2, sulky
- 6 letters
- stupid2, sleepy2, obtuse2, drowsy2, leaden2, supine2, stolid2, torpid2, draggy2, otiose3
- 7 letters
- foolish2, tedious3, glacial2, insipid3, languid2, lumpish
- 8 letters
- backward2, inactive3, stagnant2, lifeless2, indolent3, slothful, dilatory4
- 9 letters
- heartless2, lethargic3, apathetic4, lumbering3
- 10 letters
- phlegmatic3, languorous
- 11 letters
- thickheaded
- 13 letters
- lackadaisical5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (lazy2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- poussif