sluggish

adjective

slug·​gish ˈslə-gish 

1

: averse to activity or exertion : indolent

also : torpid

2

: slow to respond (as to stimulation or treatment)

3

a

: markedly slow in movement, flow, or growth

b

: economically inactive or slow

sluggishly adverb

sluggishness noun

Synonyms

• crawling
• creeping
• dallying
• dawdling
• dilatory
• dillydallying
• dragging
• laggard
• lagging
• languid
• leisurely
• poking
• poky
• pokey
• slow
• snail-paced
• snaillike
• tardy
• unhurried

Examples of sluggish in a Sentence

The game picked up after a sluggish start.

the sluggish pace of the project is worrisome

Recent Examples on the Web

The car lobby group, which represents the likes of BMW, Ferrari, Renault, Volkswagen and Volvo, said in late November that action is necessary to further support the industry, citing sluggish EV demand and a deteriorating economic climate. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024

While the government’s response was sluggish at first, the Clean Air Act of 1956, passed in response to the Great Smog, heavily regulated the burning of coal and established smoke-free urban areas throughout England. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Dec. 2024

The agency says that cold-blooded creatures can become slow, sluggish or immobilized when temperatures hit between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 3 Dec. 2024

Ken Griffin’s Citadel is on track to defy a sluggish year for commodities trading across Wall Street, burnishing the hedge fund’s image as a dominant force in the asset class. —Bloomberg, Fortune, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sluggish

adjective

slug·​gish ˈsləg-ish 

: slow in movement or reaction by habit or condition

sluggishly adverb

sluggishness noun

Medical Definition

sluggish

adjective

slug·​gish ˈsləg-ish 

: markedly slow in movement, progression, or response

sluggish healing

sluggishly adverb

sluggishness noun