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ennui

American  
[ahn-wee, ahn-wee, ahn-nwee] / ɑnˈwi, ˈɑn wi, ɑ̃ˈnwi /

noun

  1. a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom.

    The endless lecture produced an unbearable ennui.
    Synonyms:
    languor, lassitude, tedium, listlessness
ennui British  
/ ˈɒnwiː, ɑ̃nɥi /

noun

  1. a feeling of listlessness and general dissatisfaction resulting from lack of activity or excitement

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does ennui mean? Put simply, ennui is a French word that describes feelings associated with boredom.

Etymology

Origin of ennui

First recorded in 1660–70; from French: “boredom”; Old French a(n)nui, enui “displeasure”; annoy

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.

Directed by André Gregory, the writer’s latest sees a four-person cast delivering long passages that together tell a familiar story of love, ennui and adultery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

That suggests that the downfall of AI slop may not be consumer aversion, but ennui.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

It’s a weird move – especially in hip-hop – for an artist to explore his own artistic ennui.

From Salon • Aug. 30, 2024

This is not about identity politics but ennui: Even minuscule choices, like what socks to wear, are part of a larger cultural self-definition and viral conversation.

From Slate • Aug. 3, 2024

Orange groves, failed movie stars, lamplit cocktail hours by the swimming pool, cigarettes, ennui.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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.