sluggish

1 of 2

adjective

slug·​gish ˈslə-gish How to pronounce sluggish (audio)
Synonyms of sluggish
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

sluggishness

2 of 2

noun

slug·​gish·​ness
plural -es
: the quality or state of being sluggish: such as
a
: disinclination to activity : indolence
mental sluggishness
b
: slowness of movement
silt adding to the sluggishness of the creek
c
: economic stagnancy
the post-holiday sluggishness of department store sales

Synonyms of sluggish

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of sluggish in a Sentence

Adjective The game picked up after a sluggish start. the sluggish pace of the project is worrisome
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.
Adjective
The two-run lead gave Cubs starter Javier Assad some leeway after a sluggish second inning. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 Teams may not want to risk their athletes feeling even a little more sluggish, itchy, constipated, diarrhea-ry or whatever. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026 But AfD is capitalizing on the unpopularity of a government that is trying to reform the sluggish economy. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 Upcoming state election could bring a major win AfD is capitalizing on the unpopularity of a government that is trying to reform the sluggish economy. — David Keyton, Christian Science Monitor, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sluggish

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sluggusnes, from sluggus sluggish + -nes -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sluggish was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

slugging percentage
sluggish
sluggishly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sluggish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sluggish. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

sluggish

adjective
slug·​gish ˈsləg-ish How to pronounce sluggish (audio)
: slow in movement or reaction by habit or condition
sluggishly adverb
sluggishness noun

Medical Definition

sluggish

adjective
slug·​gish ˈsləg-ish How to pronounce sluggish (audio)
: markedly slow in movement, progression, or response
sluggish healing
sluggishly adverb
sluggishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sluggish

Nglish: Translation of sluggish for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All