lethargy

[ leth-er-jee ]

See synonyms for lethargy on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural leth·ar·gies.

the quality or state of being drowsy and dull, listless and unenergetic, or indifferent and lazy; apathetic or sluggish inactivity.
Pathology. an abnormal state or disorder characterized by overpowering drowsiness or sleep.

Origin of lethargy

First recorded in 1325–75; from Late Latin lēthargia, from Greek lēthargía, equivalent to lḗtharg(os) “drowsy” + -ia -y³ (see Lethe, -algia); replacing Middle English litargie, from Medieval Latin litargīa, from Late Greek, Greek, as above

Other words from lethargy

hy·per·leth·ar·gy, noun

Words Nearby lethargy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lethargy in a sentence

The EU for all its lethargy, faults and fetishization of bureaucracy, is, ultimately, a good idea.
Dear EU: It’s time to get a grip | Mike Butcher | June 25, 2021 | TechCrunch
Those symptoms are different from the much more common flu-like aches and lethargy that can occur a day after receiving the shot, which are generally harmless side-effects of inoculation against the coronavirus.
What you should do if you’ve received the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine | Lenny Bernstein, Allyson Chiu | April 15, 2021 | Washington Post
One of them told me recently that the only way he can feel excitement is gambling, because then he knows he can lose everything and that excitement wakes him up from the lethargy of life.
Everything is awful. Here’s a Q&A with a philosopher about why cats rule. | Sean Illing | January 15, 2021 | Vox
This isn’t to say the sensations of lethargy, dullness, and torpor are not real—they are, and they can be quite paralzying.
Why You're Tired All the Time | Brad Stulberg | November 5, 2020 | Outside Online
Citing a lack of in-person contact, she constantly battles lethargy.
No Visitors Leading to Despair and Isolation in Senior Care Homes | Jared Whitlock | July 28, 2020 | Voice of San Diego

“I believe it is necessary to sacrifice myself to break through the lethargy that overwhelms us,” he wrote.
You Say You Want a Revolution? | Christopher Dickey | June 23, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
An inquiry launched into the handling of the case should make clear whether that lethargy amounted to deliberate neglect.
News Scandal’s Next Victims? | William Underhill | July 7, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
Arizona is no longer the sun-drenched home of the Grand Canyon, golf courses, and retirees exulting in 100-degree lethargy.
The Governor Who Hates Her State | Bryan Curtis | July 19, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
Austria's fall was due to the lethargy and hesitation of the courts of Berlin and St. Petersburg.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Cicogne told him the news, and how the Princess was lying on a blue bed in a state of lethargy.
The Story Of The Duchess Of Cicogne And Of Monsieur De Boulingrin | Anatole France
When he awoke, though he seemed physically refreshed, the mind remained in a lethargy.
The Woman Gives | Owen Johnson
In the darkness of the night he was shaken out of his lethargy by a sharp scratch on his shoulder.
The Pilgrim's Shell or Fergan the Quarryman | Eugne Sue
But the meaning was, "God wills we should all perish or become slaves;" and on every hand was dumb lethargy or mad blasphemy.
God Wills It! | William Stearns Davis

British Dictionary definitions for lethargy

lethargy

/ (ˈlɛθədʒɪ) /

nounplural -gies

sluggishness, slowness, or dullness
an abnormal lack of energy, esp as the result of a disease

Origin of lethargy

C14: from Late Latin lēthargīa, from Greek lēthargos drowsy, from lēthē forgetfulness

Derived forms of lethargy

lethargic (lɪˈθɑːdʒɪk) or lethargical, adjective
lethargically, adverb

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

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