listless
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See indifference.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of listless
First recorded in 1400–50, listless is from the late Middle English word lystles. See list 4, -less
Explanation
To be listless is to be lethargic, low spirited, and limp. If a fever has made you feel listless, you might also feel like you are melting into the sofa. If you went to the supermarket without your shopping list, that doesn't mean you're listless. The word originates from the Middle English word liste which meant "desire" (and is related to our word lust). Oddly enough, listen comes from the same origin. If you're too lethargic and out of it to listen, you're listless. It's not just laziness, it's not just fatigue; an utter indifference to whatever is going on around you makes you listless.
Vocabulary lists containing listless
Emotions on Display
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 8
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Hamilton
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
But he’ll go home early and empty-handed unless fifth-ranked Portugal improves on the listless performance it had in a draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 21, 2026
There’s a chance both teams will decide it serves their interests to play a listless draw and share the orange slices.
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2026
“We cherish pleasure,” the authors write unabashedly, “and believe a politics without it will be unattractive, drab, listless, and doomed to failure.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Marcus Rashford added some urgency into Barca's game after a listless start, curling inches wide of the far post after cutting in from the left.
From Barron's ● Feb. 7, 2026
He seems listless and confused, and though he still learns new problems without external rewards, his performance is peculiar.
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
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.
