as in inertia
an inclination not to do work or engage in activities
a general feeling of indolence usually overtakes them during summer vacation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of indolence
Their waiter’s indolence meant a long wait even for menus, yet neither of them let drop a word of complaint.
—
Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
The idea of Irish indolence fused with a quasi-religious faith in the laws of the market to shape the British response to the famine.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
African clergy are distinctly firmer than those in the West, perhaps a consequence of the social turmoil on their continent compared to the indolence of Europe and North America.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
After indulging Sofia’s indolence for the better part of its running time, the movie suddenly supports her newfound sense of independence.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indolence
Jim Shepard, New Yorker, 8 June 2025
The idea of Irish indolence fused with a quasi-religious faith in the laws of the market to shape the British response to the famine.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
African clergy are distinctly firmer than those in the West, perhaps a consequence of the social turmoil on their continent compared to the indolence of Europe and North America.
—Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025
After indulging Sofia’s indolence for the better part of its running time, the movie suddenly supports her newfound sense of independence.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indolence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indolence
Noun
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More modern power resources, like wind, solar, and batteries, don't involve inertia, because they are digitally controlled.—
Julia Simon,
NPR,
8 Oct. 2025
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The inertia continues despite economic and regulatory headwinds across the world that threaten to impact sales and product strategies.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Also true, however, is that a certain laziness now attends DiCaprio’s work onscreen.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
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Slackers aren’t a monolith, these films suggest, and their creed is more than just a hipster variant of laziness.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Indolence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indolence. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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