anemic

adjective

ane·​mic ə-ˈnē-mik How to pronounce anemic (audio)
1
: relating to or affected with anemia
The blood test indicated that he was slightly anemic.
2
a
: lacking force, vitality, or spirit
an anemic rendition of the song
anemic efforts at enforcement
b
: lacking interest or savor (see savor entry 1 sense 3) : insipid
anemic wines
c
: lacking in substance or quantity
anemic returns on an investment
anemic attendance
anemically adverb

Examples of anemic in a Sentence

The doctor told me I was slightly anemic. The band played an anemic rendition of a classic love song. Investors are worried about the stock's anemic performance. Officials worried about anemic attendance at the shows. Sales rose an anemic 0.5 percent last quarter.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
His truck was low on fuel, and water pressure was anemic. Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025 The blockbuster delivered a rare dose of good news for the Chinese film industry, which is struggling with anemic ticket sales and a slumping economy. Claire Fu, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025 In the meantime, nonalcoholic products could help boost industry profits at a time when alcohol sales have been pretty anemic — and wine in particular has struggled. Christine Romans, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2025 One caveat to this bullish thesis would be the relatively anemic volume that KO has shown over the last three months. David Keller, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for anemic 

Word History

Etymology

see anemia

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anemic was in 1826

Dictionary Entries Near anemic

Cite this Entry

“Anemic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anemic. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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