as in tired
lacking bodily energy or motivation
when I had the flu, I felt listless and worn-out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 listless
When intentionally chosen, the right scent can even shift your mood—lifting you out of a listless haze or helping ease a frantic pace.
—
Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
Maresca’s post-match insistence that the Frenchman’s struggles are not down to a lack of effort felt as feeble and unconvincing as the sum of his contribution over 45 listless first-half minutes.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Joonas Korpisalo bore the brunt of another listless night and made some errors of his own, stopping 31 shots.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
State of play: Most of those 180 minutes were improvements over than the blowout loss and listless draw from last week.
—Andrew King, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for listless
Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Apr. 2025
Maresca’s post-match insistence that the Frenchman’s struggles are not down to a lack of effort felt as feeble and unconvincing as the sum of his contribution over 45 listless first-half minutes.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Joonas Korpisalo bore the brunt of another listless night and made some errors of his own, stopping 31 shots.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
State of play: Most of those 180 minutes were improvements over than the blowout loss and listless draw from last week.
—Andrew King, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for listless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for listless
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
-
He’s grown tired of being optioned back and forth from the minor leagues.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
3 May 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
-
Humanitarian groups like the UN World Food Programme (WFP) exhausted supplies of basic staples weeks ago, forcing them to shut down their kitchens and bakeries, and everyday Palestinians are grinding up pasta and lentils to make flour for bread.—
NPR,
NPR,
14 May 2025
-
They'll be joined by a familiar face: The Office's Óscar Martínez, an exhausted accountant played by Oscar Nuñez.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
When Nichols goes limp, he is handcuffed and leaned against an unmarked squad car.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
8 May 2025
-
The video shows Black’s body apparently going limp as officers raise his torso back up and strap his arms to the chair.—
Joe Kottke,
NBC news,
6 May 2025
Adjective
-
Now then, some angry pundits will excoriate you for being so lackadaisical.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
-
With over 70 beaches—the most of any Greek island—Milos is a destination for those seeking lackadaisical days spent lounging in and out of cerulean waters.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 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
Adjective
-
Lana was in languid mode for the entirety of the set; think of her headlining set at Coachella last year — the early, slow parts — extended further and without the pick-me-up selections near the end.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Make Almina Concept your new go-to for effortless knits, everyday blazers, and languid trousers.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
23 Apr. 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
Cite this Entry
“Listless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/listless. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share