# abulia

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abulia
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

a medical condition where a person loses the ability to make decisions or take action. It is often linked to brain damage or mental health issues.

For teachers: a neurological condition characterised by a lack of will or initiative, often resulting in an inability to make decisions or perform voluntary actions. Typically associated with frontal lobe damage or certain psychiatric disorders.

## Examples

- The patient showed signs of abulia after the accident.
- Doctors observed that the patient's abulia prevented him from initiating even basic daily tasks like eating or dressing.
- While the patient remained cognitively intact, his abulia rendered him unable to execute his own plans, as if his internal drive had been extinguished by the injury.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.