Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lackadaisical differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of lackadaisical are languid, languorous, listless, and spiritless. While all these words mean "lacking energy or enthusiasm," lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.

lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study

Where would languid be a reasonable alternative to lackadaisical?

The meanings of languid and lackadaisical largely overlap; however, languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.

was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery

In what contexts can languorous take the place of lackadaisical?

Although the words languorous and lackadaisical have much in common, languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.

languorous cats lying in the sun

When is listless a more appropriate choice than lackadaisical?

While the synonyms listless and lackadaisical are close in meaning, 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

When could spiritless be used to replace lackadaisical?

While in some cases nearly identical to lackadaisical, spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.

a spiritless recital of the poem

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 lackadaisical Now then, some angry pundits will excoriate you for being so lackadaisical. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 As the netminder made his lackadaisical way back into into his crease, Kastelic fired it toward the net. Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2025 Moore really sells the arc from her disappointment in Kaffee’s lackadaisical approach to the case at the film’s start to nearly fangirling over his prowess as a lawyer by the end. Eddie Mouradian, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2025 Joe Rogan’s Chats With Tech Moguls Rogan, known for his sprawling interests and wide array of guests, has often been criticized for his lackadaisical interviewing style and tendency to rarely push back on questionable claims. Dimitar 'mix' Mihov, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lackadaisical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lackadaisical
Adjective
  • Now, Tottenham is listless in the majority of its performances - see Sunday’s heavy 5-1 defeat to Liverpool.
    Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • There are no darker days in a season than the ones that see relegation confirmed and for Southampton, listless for so much of this Premier League campaign, the moment arrived on Sunday.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • At this point in the Trump show, the famously unpredictable president seems to be following a script as tired as any other long-running, low-brow procedural.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 May 2025
  • Back in the 1970s, my aunt and uncle had tired of the era’s standard foreign-vacation fare—Western Europe, the Caribbean—and decided to venture somewhat farther afield.
    Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • Warfare tells the harrowing story of their rescue in real time—even though much of this movie is constructed from long, languorous takes, the film moves forward in tense fits and starts.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But in many performances, much of its detail can seem puzzling or pointless—vigorous or languorous notes spinning between the overwhelming climaxes.
    David Denby, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Senators looked spiritless days ago in their building Saturday night ahead of Game 4.
    Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Amid the spiritless spirits and a bevy of alcohol-free wines, ciders, and beers, luxury sparkling teas are comfortably the most exciting emerging trend in the low and no-alcohol sphere.
    Camille Berry, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The show had a languid pace, with long tributes to individual nominees from presenters and a choreographed musical homage to James Bond and the Broccoli family, which took on a weird undertone in the wake of the sale of creative control of the property to Amazon-MGM.
    Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2025
  • On Blue Veil, the British composer coaxes earthy tremors from the cello, turning the sound of bow scrapes and resonant harmony into a languid psychic expanse.
    Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Dating apps amplify this dynamic, offering an endless scroll of possibilities that, instead of empowering users, usually leave them overwhelmed, disillusioned and emotionally exhausted.
    Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • By the end, Stamos, clearly exhausted with his hair drenched from sweat, had impressed the room.
    Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The report also included a number of ‘weak’ odor sources observed during the study, including odors emanating from the Curaleaf cannabis facility on Britt Road and Goldflower Cannabis facility on Niles Road.
    James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 May 2025
  • Thompson’s brother Maurice, who allegedly drove the chasing Chevrolet Equinox, was granted bail in October — indicating a potentially weak case.
    Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Carbon monoxide can also cause the victim to become sleepy, lose consciousness, or lose muscle function as the dangerous gas stops oxygen flow to the brain, heart, and other important cells and organs.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2025
  • This sleepy port town, penned in by snowy mountains on one side and endless freezing sea on the other, could have been where Spurs’ European dream died.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lackadaisical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lackadaisical. Accessed 14 May. 2025.

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