1
as in slow
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the sluggish pace of the project is worrisome
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
reptiles are naturally sluggish at low temperatures
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sluggish
Her arrival could not come at a better time, with Gotham suffering a sluggish start.
—
Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
According to reporting by Popular Mechanics, when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, mosquitoes become sluggish and have a hard time feeding or reproducing.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Davids, a Democrat whose district includes part of Wyandotte County and all of Johnson County, Anderson County, Franklin County and Miami County, went on to outline her concerns about potential operational deficiencies that contributed to the sluggish alert times.
—Matthew Kelly
april 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Jamal Murray scored 30 points, going 16 of 16 from the free-throw line, and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets shook off a sluggish start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105 on Saturday in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sluggish
Melanie Anzidei, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
According to reporting by Popular Mechanics, when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, mosquitoes become sluggish and have a hard time feeding or reproducing.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2026
Davids, a Democrat whose district includes part of Wyandotte County and all of Johnson County, Anderson County, Franklin County and Miami County, went on to outline her concerns about potential operational deficiencies that contributed to the sluggish alert times.
—Matthew Kelly
april 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Apr. 2026
Jamal Murray scored 30 points, going 16 of 16 from the free-throw line, and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets shook off a sluggish start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105 on Saturday in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sluggish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sluggish
Adjective
-
He is limited on passing downs and is more of a slow-burn pocket pusher than a man with a plan.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In some cases, lenders may cover the costs of buydown for you (either partially or in full), if the market is particularly slow.—
Aly J Yale,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even that session left me enervated and sleepy.—
Betsy Andrews,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Apr. 2026
-
On this day in 1943, a body was dropped in the ocean near the sleepy shores of Huelva, Spain.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Director Gay has sculpted a staging that is faithful to a more leisurely 19th-century storytelling style, yet satisfies modern audiences’ constant craving for stimulation.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
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Evenings brought cocktail hours, nightly presentations about the next day’s destination, and leisurely dinners, followed by time in the lounge.—
Susan B. Barnes,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The same study notes that the hormonal cascade may even dull pain by activating peripheral nerves and autonomic pathways.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
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Expecting dull days and strict rules, the boy instead stumbles into a world of delightful chaos and imagination – where outrageous stories are spun, and a world of wonder, memory and mischief unfolds.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The lagging percentage of women film directors last year is a clear sign that the industry is going backward, said Kirsten Schaffer, chief executive of WIF, which advocates for women in Hollywood.—
Samantha Masunaga,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
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The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Even before the Iran war, stockpiles had been drained by lethargic manufacturing and munitions donations to Ukraine and Israel.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
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The rescue group reported he was dehydrated and lethargic.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sluggish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sluggish. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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