Synonym Chooser

How does the noun languor contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of languor are lassitude, lethargy, stupor, and torpor. While all these words mean "physical or mental inertness," languor suggests inertia induced by an enervating climate or illness or love.

languor induced by a tropical vacation

When is it sensible to use lassitude instead of languor?

While the synonyms lassitude and languor are close in meaning, lassitude stresses listlessness or indifference resulting from fatigue or poor health.

a depression marked by lassitude

When can lethargy be used instead of languor?

The meanings of lethargy and languor largely overlap; however, lethargy implies such drowsiness or aversion to activity as is induced by disease, injury, or drugs.

months of lethargy followed my accident

When could stupor be used to replace languor?

The synonyms stupor and languor are sometimes interchangeable, but stupor implies a deadening of the mind and senses by shock, narcotics, or intoxicants.

lapsed into an alcoholic stupor

When might torpor be a better fit than languor?

While in some cases nearly identical to languor, torpor implies a state of suspended animation as of hibernating animals but may suggest merely extreme sluggishness.

a once alert mind now in a torpor

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of languor The French Vietnamese director, Tran Anh Hung, is contemporary cinema’s great poet of languor. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024 There are two excellent reasons to savor the series, in all of its languor. Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024 The characters emote with the rich, sticky languor of a lava lamp, and none come to life with the force of those in the works to which Catán nods. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 17 Nov. 2023 Everyone was ready to shake off the languor of the hot afternoon and welcome in the shade of night. Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for languor 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languor
Noun
  • Without it, dogs can develop chronic boredom, which may escalate into depression or anxiety.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
  • The plan should include a mix of cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises, with a gradual increase in intensity and variety to prevent boredom and injuries.
    Tor Constantino, MBA, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But Price acknowledged that the case revealed multiple weaknesses in how police handled homicide investigations at the time, leading to widespread reforms that remain in place today.
    Michael Gordon, Charlotte Observer, 17 Jan. 2025
  • But dunking has become another item on a laundry list of weaknesses for Williams to fix.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The hosts trailed 20-8 when Dutcher made his hands into a T … and responded with a 40-4 run to turn catastrophe into celebration, lethargy into laugher.
    Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025
  • Skin exposure to tea tree oil, a common essential oil, can cause vomiting, lethargy, tremors, or allergic reactions.
    Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The fires have left Mayorga with a painful mix of anxiety, depression and exhaustion.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 14 Jan. 2025
  • And burnout isn’t just a trendy buzzword; this is a very real, very draining state of exhaustion that dims your spark.
    Ankur Bindal, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Symptoms of severe illness include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, stupor, tremors, seizures, paralysis, or coma.
    Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 4 Sep. 2024
  • First, there was the chest-down, sort of squaring-up motion that drunkards do to bouncers, to be followed by a strike which could not even be conceived of in drunken stupors.
    Simon Johnson, The Athletic, 30 June 2024
Noun
  • Woll showing signs of fatigue This isn’t a surprise given Woll entered this season having played just 36 regular-season games in the NHL.
    James Mirtle, The Athletic, 17 Jan. 2025
  • In a landscape of dating app fatigue and romance scams, the anachronistic-seeming personals section — which is thriving in Vermont — can look like the way of the dating future.
    Wendy Lu, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But the opinion, written by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., went way further than necessary to insulate Trump from prosecution — not simply before the election, which the court, by its lassitude, had nearly guaranteed, but forever, even in the event that President Biden wins reelection.
    Ruth Marcus, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
  • After so many episodes, there is no lassitude and the Mbappé saga continues to enliven conversations in France’s sports bars.
    SAMUEL PETREQUIN, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024
Noun
  • The shadow of death and debility haunted American women throughout the nineteenth century.
    Jenny Noyce, JSTOR Daily, 28 June 2024
  • According to this view, the outside world has been generous to Africa, providing substantial aid in recent decades, leaving no excuse for the continent’s debility.
    Howard W. French, Foreign Affairs, 16 June 2015

Thesaurus Entries Near languor

Cite this Entry

“Languor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languor. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.

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