English Vocabulary about Laziness for IELTS

English Vocabulary about Laziness

English Vocabulary about Laziness

Drag one’s feet (idiom)

to do something slowly because you do not want to do it

The advertiser was dragging his feet owing to non-payment for his previous work.

The painter dragged his feet until he got ensured about receiving a good remuneration.

I recommend you delegate some parts of your tasks to your assistants rather than drag your feet and handle the project at a snail’s pace.


Idle (adj)

lazy, indolent, (antonym: diligent)

Children become too idle to go out for playing due to computer and mobile games.

The propagation of idleness in every society is a serious malady which should be overcome by spreading public activities.

Frankly speaking, I envy the idle rich who earn easy money and have an easy-peasy lifestyle.


Indolent (adj):

lazy, not making any effort to do something, (antonym: energetic)

He felt too indolent to get out of bed last Friday.

Don’t surrender to any sense of indolence. Otherwise, you’ll turn into quite an indolent person.

Do you think that indolent people are smarter than ordinary ones?


Inert (adj)

lifeless, static, sluggish or unmotivated

She was so inert after her work that she does every day as a matter of routine.

Inertia and inertness prevent me from reading the book. How inert I am!

Although I am so inert, I will have finished my task in 5 days.


Languid (adj)

John responded to our call languidly after he had received some anesthetic drug.

My father frowns upon languid people, and so do I.


Lethargic (adj)

tired, having no energy to do anything

The obese teenager seems lethargic after eating so much food due to his voracious appetite.

Afternoon is the time when everybody tends to be lethargic.

Being old doesn’t necessarily mean to be lethargic.

You should have stopped being lethargic because being lethargic is a harbinger of failure.


Phlegmatic (adj)

My boss is such a phlegmatic person that any attempt to impress him seems trivial in his eyes.


Slothful (adj)

disliking any form of physical exertion

She wakes up her slothful son to walk.

Slothful people usually tend to pick sedentary jobs.

A well-earned rest is a sheer pleasure that cannot be witnessed by slothful people.


Sluggish (adj)

lethargic, inactive, slow

The company performance is sluggish and inefficient this year because of bad financial conditions.

The football player seems sluggish after being rehabilitated from his injured leg.

Needless to say, sluggish people have a marked tendency for procrastination.


Torpid (adj)

sluggish, lazy, sleepy, dreamy

Everyone has a torpid mind when they stay within their comfort zone.

The moribund organization is recognizable by its torpid employees.

Torpid people who act as a brake on any collaborative effort make me a nervous wreck.

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74 thoughts on “English Vocabulary about Laziness for IELTS”

      • Rehabilitation can be a challenging process, and it’s not uncommon for athletes to take some time to regain their full form after an injury. It’s important to be patient and supportive during this period, as pushing too hard too soon can lead to setbacks.

      • It’s often the case that a lack of energy or enthusiasm can lead to procrastination. When people feel sluggish, they might find it hard to muster the motivation to tackle tasks, leading to delays and putting things off. Finding ways to boost energy levels and stay organized can help combat this tendency.

      • It’s great that she’s encouraging her son to be more active, even if he tends to be a bit slothful. Regular walks can be a good way to boost energy and improve overall health.

      • I surmise that there is a mistake in this sentence. When it comes to relative pronouns, there exists a subtle difference between “which” and “that”. I have been caught by the assessors of “IELTS-Blog” website many times for making this mistake. In fact, when we are NOT defining an object (Not a Person) and some information is being added to the object, it is a mistake to use “That”.
        Examples:
        1) He opened a company in England, which employed around 20 workers. [Correct]
        2) He opened a company in England, that employed around 20 workers.[Grammatically Incorrect]

        P.S. This point in mentioned in Cambridge Grammar book as well.

        • Also I can add that when the relative pronoun is to provide information about something or somebody that is completely indefinite to us, it’s better to use “that” and you shall not put a comma before “that”. However, when the entity is relatively definite or we already have some information about it, it’s better to use “which” and put a comma before it.

      • It’s true that a well-earned rest feels especially satisfying after a period of hard work and dedication. For those who are slothful, they may miss out on experiencing this unique sense of accomplishment and relaxation. Encouraging a balance between effort and rest can help everyone appreciate the value of both hard work and well-deserved breaks.

      • It’s understandable that you and your father value hard work and energy. Languid people might not share the same drive, which can be frustrating for those who are more dynamic. It’s important to recognize that everyone has different strengths and motivations. Encouraging a positive environment and understanding the reasons behind someone’s languid behavior can sometimes lead to better outcomes for everyone involved.

      • Sometimes, we all have those days where getting out of bed feels like a monumental task. It’s important to recognize when we’re feeling particularly indolent and find ways to gently motivate ourselves.

        • There is a grammatical point in Longman dictionary indicating:
          Put quite before ‘a’ and an adjective and noun, not after ‘a’:
          It look quite a long time (not a quite long time).
          Although I made a mistake of “an indolent” instead of “a indolent”

          • It’s not a grammar mistake but just a fairly different usage. In fact, “quite a something” is generally used to show an exclamation and excitement. However, quite, independently, is an adverb that should be placed right before the following adjective. Therefore, if you meant to show an exclamation or simply wanted to put emphasis on that, your original sentence could also be correct.

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