Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of lethargic
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin lēthargicus, from Greek lēthargikós; replacing Middle English litargik, from Medieval Latin litargicus ( see lethargy, -ic)
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How does lethargic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When you feel lethargic, you're sluggish or lacking energy. Being sleepy or hungry can make anyone lethargic. Being lethargic makes it hard to get anything done: you feel weak and sleepy. Whatever the reason, a lethargic person needs to snap out of it and get some energy, maybe by eating something or by taking a nap. Being lethargic also goes well with watching TV, since that takes almost no energy at all. When you feel lethargic, you don't have any energy to spare.
Vocabulary lists containing lethargic
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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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.
Many taking weight-loss medications initially lose fat and feel great, but quickly start to feel weak and lethargic, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
That show is growing duller, and more lethargic and repetitive, by the day, like watching reruns of a canceled sitcom.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026
"It was just a really lethargic performance in the first half, but the second half was everything I wanted to see."
From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026
But never have I seen a team with so much potential and skill be so absolutely lethargic and unwatchable this season.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2025
A few weeks later George and Florah came down with a mysterious illness, which left them emaciated and lethargic, their stomachs so distended that I thought they would burst.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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.
