slothful

American  

[slawth-fuhl, slohth-] / ˈslɔθ fəl, ˈsloʊθ- /

adjective

1. sluggardly; indolent; lazy.

   Synonyms:

   slack, torpid, inactive, sluggish

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slothful British  

/ ˈsləʊθfʊl /

adjective

1. indolent

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Related Words

See idle.

Other Word Forms

• slothfully adverb
• slothfulness noun

Etymology

Origin of slothful

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; sloth + -ful

Explanation

To be slothful is to be lazy. When you're slothful, you don't want to do any work. You just want to lie around, eat bonbons, and maybe doze off a little. If you've ever seen the sloth — a slow-moving mammal — you won't be surprised that anyone slothful has a bad work ethic. When you're slothful, you don't feel like doing much of anything. Slothful people tend to sleep too much and lie around on the couch. Being slothful at work could get you fired, and slothful students won't do well at school. The furry kind of sloth is slow due to its nature, but a slothful person should get a move on!

Example Sentences

Humans have long since lived a slothful existence in a spaceship where work is unnecessary and even walking is optional.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 18, 2025

It’s one thing to cheer the firing of federal employees if you consider them a bunch of slothful layabouts.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2025

“If you’re running the thing in a wasteful or slothful way, you’re going to get called on it,” he said.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2022

We were self-interested and self-absorbed, apathetic, slothful, narcissistic—or so we were frequently told.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 20, 2019

Shame to the slothful and woe to the weak one.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White