Word
lethargy
Phoneticslethar·gy
US/ˈɫɛθɝdʒi/
UK/lˈɛθədʒˌi/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a feeling of having no energy and no interest in doing anything. You might feel this way when you are sick or very tired.
n. a state of tiredness, weariness, or lack of energy. Often used in medical contexts to describe pathological drowsiness or in general contexts to describe a lack of enthusiasm.
Examples
“The hot weather caused a sense of lethargy in the office.”
“After recovering from the flu, he struggled with a lingering lethargy that made it difficult to return to his gym routine.”
“The nation's economic lethargy was blamed on a combination of high interest rates and a general lack of consumer confidence following the crisis.”
Examples
simple
“The hot weather caused a sense of lethargy in the office.”
contextual
“After recovering from the flu, he struggled with a lingering lethargy that made it difficult to return to his gym routine.”
complex
“The nation's economic lethargy was blamed on a combination of high interest rates and a general lack of consumer confidence following the crisis.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “lethargy” in context.
Verb
01. induce lethargy
“Certain medications for allergies can induce lethargy and drowsiness.”
verb + noun
02. lethargy sets in
“As the afternoon wore on, a sense of lethargy began to set in.”
noun + verb
03. overcome lethargy
“She struggled to overcome lethargy and return to her regular exercise routine.”
verb + noun
04. shake off lethargy
“The team needs to shake off their lethargy if they want to win this match.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
05. extreme lethargy
“The patient complained of extreme lethargy and a persistent low-grade fever.”
adj + noun
06. general lethargy
“A general lethargy seemed to have settled over the office during the heatwave.”
adj + noun
07. post-viral lethargy
“Many patients experience post-viral lethargy for several weeks after the initial infection.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. feeling of lethargy
“A sudden feeling of lethargy made it difficult for her to concentrate on the exam.”
noun + prep + noun
09. state of lethargy
“He spent the entire weekend in a state of lethargy, barely leaving the sofa.”
noun + prep + noun
10. sink into a state of lethargy
“Without new projects to work on, the staff began to sink into a state of lethargy.”
11. symptoms include lethargy and fatigue
“Common symptoms of the condition include lethargy, fatigue, and joint pain.”
Usage
Often follows the verbs 'feel' or 'experience', or is used with the preposition 'of' ('a state of lethargy').
Real-World Examples
“It was a flawed performance with Van Dijk’s early mistake, Iraola’s initial formation and Liverpool’s lethargy on the ball all punished by Iñigo Pérez’s slick side.” “Bouts of amnesia, throbbing headaches, extreme lethargy and nausea that's cruelly combined with overwhelming hunger – when you list them out, the symptoms could describe a terrible new medical condition.” “Lethargy indicates something is affecting your brain, your level of consciousness and other mental functions.” Etymology
From Middle English litargie, from Medieval Latin litargia, from Late Latin lēthārgia, borrowed from Ancient Greek ληθᾱργῐ́ᾱ (lēthārgĭ́ā, “drowsiness”), from λήθᾱργος (lḗthārgos, “forgetful, lethargic”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, adjectival suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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