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Definition of sluggishness

sluggishness

/ˈslʌɡ.ɪʃ.nəs/
slug · gish · ness
Adverb:sluggishly
•
Adjective:sluggish
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sluggishness Lexical Profile

sluggishness Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The state or quality of lacking energy, alertness, or physical vigor; a feeling of slow, heavy-limbed lethargy.

Example

"A brief afternoon walk helped her shake off the mental sluggishness that followed the long meeting."

2

Slow, weak, or unresponsive performance or movement in a system, mechanism, or economic market.

Example

"Economists attributed the sluggishness of the housing market to rising interest rates."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for sluggishness
Antonyms
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• Rhymes for sluggishness

• Nearby Words

slugger
sluggish
sluggishly
sluggishness
sluglike
sluice
slum

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in Middle English from 'sluggish' and the noun-forming suffix '-ness', ultimately tracing back to a Scandinavian root meaning 'to be heavy, drowsy, or slow'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sluggishness. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sluggishness
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