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languid
Manage episode 512931746 series 1319408
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 11, 2025 is:
languid • \LANG-gwid\ • adjective
Something described as languid shows or has very little energy, force, or activity.
// We paddled at a languid pace, in no hurry to arrive at our picnic destination.
Examples:
“The flat once belonged to 19th-century French writer George Sand, and is now a handsome apartment with sleek decor and elevated amenities that will make it easy to enjoy languid afternoons sipping on a glass of wine and perusing the owner’s extensive literary collection.” — Elise Taylor, Nicole Kliest, and Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2025
Did you know?
Lack, lack, lack. Languid is all about lack. Depending on its context, the word can suggest a lack of strength or force, a lack of energy, or a lack of activity. The lack-of-strength/force sense of languid describes the kind of sluggishness that often results from fatigue or weakness, as in “the illness left her feeling languid.” The lack-of-energy sense is synonymous with listless, and often describes someone’s character or disposition as a result of dissatisfaction or sadness. Lastly, there’s the lack-of-activity sense of languid, as in “investors are worried about the languid stock market.” So languid is a total bummer, right? Not so (ahem) fast! Sometimes it’s a good thing to dillydally, and languid has also long been used to describe stretches of time—think afternoons, days, summers, etc.—that are relatively and perhaps pleasantly chill.
3560 episodes
Manage episode 512931746 series 1319408
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 11, 2025 is:
languid • \LANG-gwid\ • adjective
Something described as languid shows or has very little energy, force, or activity.
// We paddled at a languid pace, in no hurry to arrive at our picnic destination.
Examples:
“The flat once belonged to 19th-century French writer George Sand, and is now a handsome apartment with sleek decor and elevated amenities that will make it easy to enjoy languid afternoons sipping on a glass of wine and perusing the owner’s extensive literary collection.” — Elise Taylor, Nicole Kliest, and Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 Aug. 2025
Did you know?
Lack, lack, lack. Languid is all about lack. Depending on its context, the word can suggest a lack of strength or force, a lack of energy, or a lack of activity. The lack-of-strength/force sense of languid describes the kind of sluggishness that often results from fatigue or weakness, as in “the illness left her feeling languid.” The lack-of-energy sense is synonymous with listless, and often describes someone’s character or disposition as a result of dissatisfaction or sadness. Lastly, there’s the lack-of-activity sense of languid, as in “investors are worried about the languid stock market.” So languid is a total bummer, right? Not so (ahem) fast! Sometimes it’s a good thing to dillydally, and languid has also long been used to describe stretches of time—think afternoons, days, summers, etc.—that are relatively and perhaps pleasantly chill.
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