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Sluggish: meaning, definitions and examples

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sluggish

[ˈslʌɡɪʃ ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

move slowly

Slow-moving or lacking energy; characterized by a slow and lazy pace.

Synonyms

languid, lethargic, listless, slow, sluggardly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
sluggish	Use in situations where you want to describe someone or something moving more slowly than usual, often due to tiredness or lack of energy. After the long hike, she felt sluggish and could barely keep her eyes open. The economy has been sluggish this quarter, with minimal growth.
slow	General term to describe something or someone not moving at a fast pace; use in neutral or everyday situations. The traffic was moving very slow due to the construction work. He was always a bit slow at understanding math.
lethargic	Usually refers to a state of extreme tiredness or laziness, often to the point of not wanting to do anything. The medication made her feel lethargic and she spent most of the day in bed. Due to his illness, he has been unusually lethargic lately.
languid	Best for describing a gentle, relaxed, and unhurried manner, often giving a sense of ease or gracefulness. He moved with a languid grace, making each motion look effortless. The hot afternoon made everyone feel languid and sleepy.
listless	Describes a lack of enthusiasm or energy, often due to boredom or sadness. She stared at the wall in a listless manner, showing no interest in the conversation. After hearing the bad news, he felt listless and couldn't concentrate on his work.
sluggardly	An old-fashioned or literary term that negatively describes someone as lazy or slow-moving, often implies laziness or lack of effort. The sluggardly servant moved about his tasks with little enthusiasm. His sluggardly approach to work frustrated his colleagues.

Examples of usage

He felt sluggish after eating a heavy meal.
The sluggish traffic made him late for work.
She was feeling sluggish in the hot weather.

^{Context #2 | Adjective}

mentally slow

Displaying a lack of mental alertness; slow to understand or react.

Synonyms

dim-witted, dull, slow-witted, unintelligent.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
sluggish	Use when describing someone or something that is moving slowly, lacking energy, or not performing efficiently. After the long hike, I felt too sluggish to do anything else. The sluggish economy has made finding a job more difficult.
dull	Typically means lacking interest, excitement, or brightness. When used for a person, it implies that someone is not mentally sharp or lively. The lecture was so dull that half the audience fell asleep. He is a bit dull when it comes to solving puzzles.
dim-witted	This term refers to a person who is slow to understand or think, often used in a negative and judgmental way. He seemed so dim-witted during the meeting that nobody took his ideas seriously. Despite being dim-witted, he managed to finish the project on time.
slow-witted	Describes someone who takes longer than usual to understand things, often regarded disparagingly. She's a little slow-witted, so be patient when explaining new tasks. The detective suspected the slow-witted assistant had missed important clues.
unintelligent	Refers to lacking intelligence or the ability to think and learn, generally carrying a negative connotation. The teacher believed the student was unintelligent, which was a harsh judgment. It's unfair to call someone unintelligent based on a single mistake.

Examples of usage

The sluggish student struggled to keep up with the rest of the class.
Her sluggish response indicated a lack of interest.

Translations

Translations of the word "sluggish" in other languages:

🇵🇹 lento

🇮🇳 धीमा

🇩🇪 träge

🇮🇩 lamban

🇺🇦 млявий

🇵🇱 powolny

🇯🇵 のろい

🇫🇷 lent

🇪🇸 lento

🇹🇷 ağır

🇰🇷 느린

🇸🇦 بطيء

🇨🇿 pomalý

🇸🇰 pomalý

🇨🇳 缓慢的

🇸🇮 počasen

🇮🇸 hægur

🇰🇿 баяу

🇬🇪 ნელა

🇦🇿 yavaş

🇲🇽 lento

Etymology

The word 'sluggish' originated in the late 16th century, derived from the Middle English 'slugge', meaning lazy or indolent. Over time, it evolved to represent a lack of energy or speed in both physical and mental aspects. The term has been used to describe slow-moving objects or individuals who lack vitality.

See also: slug, slugabed, sluggard, slugger.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #13,382, this word is part of sophisticated English vocabulary. It's useful for academic or professional contexts where precise language is needed.

...
13379 meagre
13380 wilfully
13381 congratulations
13382 sluggish
13383 rubble
13384 fervent
13385 paler
...