lazy
- averse or disinclined to work, activity, or exertion; indolent.
- causing idleness or indolence: a hot, lazy afternoon.
- slow-moving; sluggish: a lazy stream.
- (of a livestock brand) placed on its side instead of upright.
- to laze.
Origin of lazy
Synonyms
See more synonyms for lazy on Thesaurus.comAntonyms
Examples from the Web for laziness
Contemporary Examples
While some may classify that inactivity as laziness or indifference, Brown suggests the contrary.
People tend to condemn the obese because they believe that “fatness” is evidence of laziness and lack of discipline.
Fatigue, sadness, or psychosis is not about choice or laziness or selfishness.
Next, add the vices of a rentier state: laziness, irresponsibility, a sense of entitlement, and ignorance.
When universities board up their English departments, they surrender to ignorance and laziness.
Historical Examples
We'll cure Jim of laziness, and it will be a fine piece of work.
Frank Roscoe's SecretAllen Chapman
Laziness, that brutish existence which had been his dream, proved his punishment.
Therese RaquinEmile Zola
The light labour entrusted to him became irksome owing to his laziness.
Therese RaquinEmile Zola
Perhaps I should never have written at all if you hadn't urged me, shamed me out of my laziness.
The PortygeeJoseph Crosby Lincoln
Oh, they don't grumble; any excuse for laziness is warmly welcomed.
Ireland as It IsRobert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)
lazy
- not inclined to work or exertion
- conducive to or causing indolence
- moving in a languid or sluggish mannera lazy river
- (of a brand letter or mark on livestock) shown as lying on its side
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for laziness
lazy
adj.
1540s, laysy, of unknown origin. Replaced native slack, slothful, and idle as the main word expressing the notion of "averse to work." In 19c. thought to be from lay (v.) as tipsy from tip. Skeat is responsible for the prevailing modern view that it probably comes from Low German, cf. Middle Low German laisch "weak, feeble, tired," modern Low German läösig, early modern Dutch leuzig, all of which may go back to the PIE root *(s)leg- "slack." According to Weekley, the -z- sound disqualifies a connection with French lassé "tired" or German lassig "lazy, weary, tired." A supposed dialectal meaning "naught, bad," if it is the original sense, may tie the word to Old Norse lasenn "dilapidated," lasmøyrr "decrepit, fragile," root of Icelandic las-furða "ailing," las-leiki "ailment." Lazy Susan is from 1917.