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 For centuries Champagne producers set large crops, harvested unripe fruit and bolstered their lackadaisical vineyard efforts by adding copious amounts of sugar (dosage), with uniformity and consistency being the goal. Patrick Comiskey, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024 Ryan Williams was lackadaisical, and Milroe threw it right in the view of the defense. Kennington Smith Iii, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024 There seemed to be a lackadaisical effort, which allowed for the Oklahoma defender to catch the pass unaffected. Kennington Smith Iii, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024 Atlanta can’t afford to enter this Sunday’s divisional matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a lackadaisical approach. Fox News Staff, Fox News, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lackadaisical 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lackadaisical
Adjective
  • The Warriors concluded a six-game homestand with another listless effort.
    Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Both are unemployed with little opportunity in sight, pitted against each other in a constantly bickering home, and listless about it all.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The upstairs restaurant serves Italian classics with a twist, as well as couscous and dishes prepared in a wok, which can be a nice change for those tired of pizza and pasta.
    Gary Stoller, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • Some women combat veterans and military experts say Hegseth's likely rise to Trump's cabinet has left them frustrated and exhausted and has revived tired, sexist arguments against their service.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Ghia Le Spritz Variety 12-Pack $145 Ghia A wanderlust-inducing coffee table book Il Dolce Far Niente, or the sweetness of doing nothing, is effortlessly captured in this mesmerizing photo book cataloging a languorous Italian summer by Lucy Laucht.
    Sophie Dodd, Bon Appétit, 11 Dec. 2024
  • That’s why a noirish tenor sax snakes through the suite’s middle (played with languorous sensuality by PRISM Quartet’s Timothy McAllister), set to a lyre-like harp accompaniment.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Dance sections lacked charm; lyric passages were spiritless; the klezmer episodes in the third movement were strictly goyish.
    Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Yet the club dropped the contest in spiritless fashion, 6-2.
    Julian McWilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2023
Adjective
  • Each of the 67 rooms boasts charming village and serene harbor views, and some even have their own private patios to take a languid coffee in the morning.
    Ariel Okin, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025
  • Louche, languid tailoring has become a major trend in Milan and Florence.
    Luisa Zargani, WWD, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • In an interview with CNN from her home in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Hassanein appeared frail and exhausted.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 23 Jan. 2025
  • But falling into a hire for reasons of comfort alone is going to be tough to sell for a franchise that’s exhausted by the comfortable status quo.
    Saad Yousuf, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Its economy is already facing a deepening malaise, brought on by a property crisis, mounting government debt and weak consumer spending.
    David Pierson, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
  • The team continues to play great with a different weak spot each season, so maybe that’s part of the excitement and drama of being a fan of the franchise now. · 5h 1m ago Thanks Chandler, good stuff as always.
    Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This southern island in the country’s archipelago is a sleepy place, a welcome respite from the development, sometimes overdevelopment, going on elsewhere in the region including the country’s main island Providenciales.
    Laurie Werner, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The once relatively sleepy city, long overshadowed by its neighbor Como, has now woken up—and established itself as a destination unto itself.
    Madeline Weinfield, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025

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Thesaurus Entries Near lackadaisical

Cite this Entry

“Lackadaisical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lackadaisical. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.

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