In everyday language, when things or people are described as “sluggish,” it means they are slow, lazy, or lacking in energy. Imagine a sleepy cat taking its time to move or a turtle meandering along—both are examples of sluggish behavior. To express this idea differently, we use synonyms, which are words with similar meanings. So, “sluggish synonyms” refer to alternative words or expressions that can be used to convey the same sense of slowness or lethargy. These synonyms help us communicate more vividly, capturing the varied nuances of sluggishness in different contexts.
Sluggish synonyms
1. Slow-moving or lethargic:
- slow
- languid
- torpid
- dull
- heavy
- listless
- lethargic
- inert
- indolent
- soporific
2. Lacking energy or enthusiasm:
- apathetic
- unenthusiastic
- lackadaisical
- passive
- disinterested
- spiritless
- unmotivated
3. Slow to respond or react:
- delayed
- tardy
- hesitant
- reluctant
- unresponsive
- gradual
4. Not brisk or lively (e.g., business or economy):
- stagnant
- flat
- lackluster
- idle
5. Poorly performing (e.g., engine or computer):
- underperforming
- inefficient
- suboptimal
- faulty
- glitchy
Other synonyms for sluggish:
| inactive | quiet | slow-moving |
| slack | depressed | static |
| lacking in energy | unenergetic | lifeless |
| weary | tired | fatigued |
| sleepy | half asleep | drowsy |
| heavy-eyed | enervated | somnolent |
| lazy | slothful | sluggardly |
| phlegmatic | bovine | asthenic |
| neurasthenic | dozy | dopey |
| yawny | logy | lymphatic |
| blah | comatose | down |
| dragging | draggy | drippy |
| hebetudinous | laid-back | languorous |
| leaden | lumpish | mooney |
| off | pokey | sleepyheaded |
| sluggard | slumberous | stiff |
| sullen | leisurely | lagging |
| laggard | creeping | dilatory |
| crawling | unhurried | poky |
| slowing | dillydallying | snaillike |
| dallying | snail-paced | poking |
| dawdling | deliberate | lingering |
| plodding | ambling | lounging |
| loafing | loitering | heavy-footed |
| measured | decelerating | shuffling |
| slow-footed | procrastinating | strolling |
| tarrying | stalling | inching |
| filibustering | quiescent | motionless |
| resting | shiftless | dormant |
| sedentary | still | asleep |
| drugged | ambitionless | inanimate |
| dead | lazyish | catatonic |
| dopy | somnambulant |
Sluggish antonyms
1. Antonyms for slow-moving or lethargic:
- fast
- agile
- quick
- energetic
- nimble
- dynamic
- brisk
- sprightly
- lively
- vigorous
2. Antonyms for lacking energy or enthusiasm:
- enthusiastic
- animated
- zealous
- active
- spirited
- excited
- motivated
3. Antonyms for slow to respond or react:
- prompt
- responsive
- quick-witted
- alert
- ready
- immediate
- swift
- rapid
- speedy
4. Antonyms for not brisk or lively (e.g., business or economy):
- booming
- robust
- vibrant
- thriving
- flourishing
- buoyant
5. Antonyms for poorly performing (e.g., engine or computer):
- efficient
- optimal
- functioning
- effective
- smooth
- reliable
- stable
- operational
- well-functioning
Other antonyms for sluggish:
| busy | moving | hasty |
| dizzy | rushing | breathless |
| lightning | running | snappy |
| meteoric | racing | fleet |
| whirlwind | engaged | occupied |
| working | vital | kinetic |
| vivacious | bouncing | industrious |
| diligent | perky | peppy |
| hardworking | assiduous | springy |
| zippy | sedulous | speeding |
| flying | expeditious | rocketing |
| bolting | breakneck | accelerated |
| whirling | warp-speed | hurrying |
| scudding | quickened | rushed |
| barreling | scurrying | hurried |
| zipping | careering | hastened |
| scooting | whisking |
Examples of sluggish in sentences
“Don’t use drowsy EYES to look at what Christ used a passionate BLOOD to do for you. Don’t use a sluggish LEG to walk towards what Christ used a compassionate FLESH to build for you” ― Israelmore Ayivor [Goodreads]
“We are so sluggish in our mentality that we think the world’s problems are not our business, that they have to be resolved by the United Nations or by substituting new leaders for the old.” ― Jiddu Krishnamurti [Goodreads]
“Sluggish and sedentary peoples, such as the Ancient Egyptians– with their concept of an afterlife journey through the Field of Reeds– project on to the next world the journeys they failed to make in this one.” ― Bruce Chatwin [Goodreads]
“It was dark now, and broodingly sluggish. Like something supine waiting to spring, with just the tip of its tail twitching. Leaves stood still on the trees. An evil green star glinted in the black sky like a hostile eye, like an evil spying eye. ― Cornell Woolrich [Goodreads]
More examples:
- After a heavy meal, I felt sluggish and had trouble staying awake during the afternoon meeting.
- The computer’s performance became sluggish as it struggled to run multiple applications simultaneously.
- The traffic on the highway was sluggish due to the ongoing construction, causing delays for commuters.
- The economy showed signs of being sluggish, with a decrease in consumer spending and business investment.
- The sluggish river flowed lazily through the valley, reflecting the calm pace of life in the rural town.
- Despite the team’s best efforts, their sluggish start in the game put them at a significant disadvantage.
- The car’s battery was old and weak, making the engine start sluggish on cold mornings.
- The student felt sluggish and unmotivated after a sleepless night of studying for exams.
- The hikers found themselves moving at a sluggish pace as they trudged through the muddy trail in the rain.
- The company experienced sluggish sales during the economic downturn, prompting cost-cutting measures to stay afloat.
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