anemic

American  

[uh-nee-mik] / əˈni mɪk /

Or anaemic

adjective

1. Pathology. affected with anemia; having a deficiency of the hemoglobin, often accompanied by a reduced number of red blood cells.

2. lacking power, vigor, vitality, or colorfulness; listless; weak.

   an anemic effort;

   anemic tones.

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anemic British  

/ əˈniːmɪk /

adjective

1. the usual US spelling of anaemic

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Other Word Forms

• anemically adverb
• nonanemic adjective
• pseudoanemic adjective
• unanemic adjective

Etymology

Origin of anemic

First recorded in 1830–40; anem(ia) + -ic

Example Sentences

The signs looked performative and anemic and the visual impact was poor.

From Salon

But hiring was largely anemic beyond a surge in healthcare and social services.

From The Wall Street Journal

The IMF projected last year that Iran’s economy would grow by an anemic 1% in 2026, the slowest rate in the Middle East.

From The Wall Street Journal

Fifteen years of anemic supply following the 2008-09 financial crisis had left bondholders starved for new muni debt, a favorite of wealthy American households because it pays out interest exempt from federal income taxes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“America is experiencing a jobless boom with strong growth and anemic hiring,” said Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union.

From Barron's

Related Words

• feeble
• frail
• sickly