indolent
Americanadjective
-
disliking work or effort; lazy; idle
-
pathol causing little pain
an indolent tumour
-
(esp of a painless ulcer) slow to heal
Synonym Usage
See idle.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of indolent
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin indolent- (stem of indolēns ), equivalent to in- in- 3 + dolent- (stem of dolēns ), present participle of dolēre “to be painful, be in pain”; see dole 2, -ent
Explanation
Indolent is an adjective meaning slow or lazy. It can take an indolent teenager hours to get out of bed on a weekend morning. Often it's noon before he finally comes shuffling down to breakfast in his pajamas. An indolent person is slow and lazy — not the type of person you'd want running your corporation or competing with you in a relay race. Doctors use the word indolent to describe medical conditions that are slow to progress. If you're diagnosed with an illness, you'd prefer an indolent one over one that spreads quickly.
Vocabulary lists containing indolent
Advanced English Words
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The Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer
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Grade 11, List 6
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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.
The building alternately puckers and swells, like the indolent flexing of a muscle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
But these roles are few and far between, remaining at a distance in favor of indolent stories that only echo the humor of Sandler’s earliest work.
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2025
The L.A. antiquarian Charles Fletcher Lummis called it the Land of Poco Tiempo in his 1893 book of the same name, depicting it as a real-life territory of lotus eaters, of indolent pleasure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2024
During the summer, outdoor chairs overlook the water for the indolent; more active visitors can borrow bicycles to explore the tiny neighborhood on the Toke Point peninsula.
From Seattle Times ● May 25, 2024
A lazy man, Dad believed, always makes the best use of his Therbligs because he is too indolent to waste motions.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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.
