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

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ennui British  

/ ˈɒnwiː, ɑ̃nɥi /

noun

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

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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

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

This is where body horror comes in to turn our fear of mortality, or perhaps just ennui, into something, well, horrific.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 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

Perhaps they assumed, also, a life of ennui.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• apathy
• languor
• melancholy
• sadness
• tedium
• weariness