Other Word 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
ASVAB Word Knowledge
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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.
In an Instagram post the previous day, the Ojai Raptor Center’s Eliza Cameron said the eagle “arrived lethargic and underweight, but has no signs of physical trauma.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
They were really poor in the first half against Canada in the last 16 and looked really lethargic.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
When the mercury rises so do the costs for an economy as productivity melts and growth becomes lethargic, providing an additional challenge to Europe as it struggles with high energy prices.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
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
From there he wasted very quickly to a lethargic little bundle of skin-covered bones and a gaunt, skin-covered skull.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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.
