malaise
n. C1 Advanced US //mæˈɫeɪz// UK //mælˈeɪz// malaise
n. a feeling of being physically or mentally tired and unhappy. It is a more formal word for a general sense of being 'down' or 'out of sorts'.
n. a state of physical or mental exhaustion or depression. Often used to describe a widespread sense of dissatisfaction or a lack of energy within a group or society.
The team felt a general malaise after the long season.
The country's economic malaise led to a significant drop in consumer confidence and a rise in unemployment.
The protagonist's deep-seated malaise is not merely a result of his personal failures but a reflection of the broader societal disillusionment that defines the novel's setting.
From French malaise (“ill ease”), from mal- (“bad, badly”) + aise (“ease”). Compare ill at ease.