Indolent
/ˈɪndələnt/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Indolent describes someone who does not like to work or be active. It means lazy in a strong way, often avoiding any hard work or effort. It can also describe things that cause little or no pain, but usually it is about laziness.
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See It in Action
Describing a lazy person or behavior
- •The indolent student never did his homework.
- •She was criticized for her indolent attitude at work.
- •An indolent lifestyle can lead to health problems.
(Less common) Causing little or no pain (used in medical language)
- •The doctor called the tumor indolent because it did not cause pain.
- •An indolent infection may not show clear symptoms.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "indolent" like "lazy" (A1 word), but stronger and more formal—it means someone really avoids work or effort
- ✓Picture a person lying on a sofa all day, not moving or trying to do anything important
- ✓It's the feeling when you want to rest and avoid any work, even if you know you should do something
- ✓Sounds like "IN-do-lent" → imagine someone saying "I'm in 'do nothing' mode, feeling slow and lazy"
- ✓Think of a story character who never wants to get up or help, always choosing comfort over action
- ✓NOT like "tired" (which is temporary), "indolent" means a habit or choice to avoid work
- ✓NOT like "slow" (just moving slowly), "indolent" means avoiding effort completely
- ✓NOT like "relaxed" (which can be positive), "indolent" has a negative meaning of laziness
Try Other Words
- •Lazy: not willing to work or use effort (Use when speaking informally about someone who avoids work)
- •Idle: not active or working (Use when describing someone or something not doing anything)
- •Sluggish: moving or working slowly (Use when focus is on slow movement, not just laziness)
- •Lethargic: feeling very tired or without energy (Use when tiredness is physical, not just unwillingness)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "in-" (not) + root "dolent" from Latin "dolere" meaning "to feel pain" but here evolved to mean "avoiding pain or effort"
- •Etymology: From Latin "indolentem," meaning "not feeling pain" or "avoiding pain"
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe lack of pain, later used metaphorically for laziness or avoidance of effort
- •Modern usage: Mainly used to describe people or behavior that is habitually lazy or avoids work; also used in medical terms for painless conditions
Reflect & Connect
•Can being indolent ever have a positive side, like resting for health? When does rest become indolence?
•How does culture influence what people see as indolent behavior versus normal relaxation?
Fill in the blanks
1.An indolent person usually avoids ___ or any kind of hard ___.
2.When someone is indolent, they often feel no ___ to change their habits.
3.Unlike being tired, indolent behavior is more about ___ laziness than temporary weakness.
4.The phrase "indolent lifestyle" often suggests a long-term choice to avoid ___.
5.In medicine, an indolent condition causes little or no ___, making it hard to notice.
6.People who are indolent often ___ responsibility or important tasks.
7.You might describe someone as indolent if they never ___ to help even when asked.