adjective
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lacking vitality and purpose
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lazy or idle, esp in a dreamy way
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lackadaisical
First recorded in 1760–70; lackadais(y) (variant of lackaday ) + -ical
Explanation
Even though lackadaisical sounds like it has something to do with a shortage of daisies, know that what it really means is lacking in spirit or liveliness. A person with a lackadaisical attitude shows no enthusiasm and puts forth a half-hearted effort. But it's more of a dreamy, laid back approach rather than sheer laziness. This funny-sounding adjective came about in the 18th century from the interjection lackaday, which was an old-fashioned way of saying "oh man!" or "unfortunately."
Vocabulary lists containing lackadaisical
The Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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Languor Management: Synonyms for "Lazy"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It was my characteristic lackadaisical attitude that got my father involved, and had him checking his watch and shoving me into the Sedan DeVille.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
The Lakers weren’t punished for their lackadaisical play during their seven-game winning streak against teams with losing records.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2025
Ms Wilkie accused the management companies of being disingenuous, lackadaisical and unprofessional, while questioning how the bills can be passed from one firm to another over the past nine years.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2025
Two veteran Seattle police officers have been given a day off without pay for their lackadaisical response to a priority report of a shooting at a Sodo nightclub.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 18, 2024
Anatole got to spend his days playing bottle-cap checkers with a pair of lackadaisical guards, who let him read and write anything as long as he didn’t escape.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
