lackadaisical

adjective

lack·​a·​dai·​si·​cal ˌla-kə-ˈdā-zi-kəl How to pronounce lackadaisical (audio)
: lacking life, spirit, or zest : languid
teachers who are impatient with lackadaisical students
lackadaisically adverb

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Where does lackadaisical come from?

We’re too enthusiastic about the lexicon to be lackadaisical about words, but lackadaisical itself is rooted in the sort of sorrow that can put a damper on one’s passion for vocabulary expansion. When folks living from the late 17th to the late 19th century had one of those days when nothing goes right, they could cry "Lackaday!" to express their sorrow and disappointment as a shortened form of the expression "alack the day." (Alack is an interjection used to express sorrow or regret.) By the mid-1700s, the adjective lackadaisical had been formed to describe these miserable ones and their doings and sayings. Around the same time, the word lackadaisy was introduced to the language as an interjection similar to lackaday; it was never as prevalent as lackaday, but it may have influenced the development of lackadaisical.

Choose the Right Synonym for lackadaisical

languid, languorous, lackadaisical, listless, spiritless mean lacking energy or enthusiasm.

languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.

was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery

languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.

languorous cats lying in the sun

lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.

lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study

listless suggests a lack of interest caused by physical weakness or dissatisfied boredom.

listless hospital patients
listless children flipping through picture books on a rainy day

spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.

a spiritless recital of the poem

Examples of lackadaisical in a Sentence

His teachers did not approve of his lackadaisical approach to homework. feeling particularly lackadaisical in the summer heat, they lazily tossed a ball back and forth
Recent Examples on the Web The Grizzlies couldn't maintain the shooting pace, and then got lackadaisical with the ball, allowing the Rockets to get back into the game with a 26-8 run late in the half. Clay Bailey, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 Brown portrayed Louis as dim, unrefined, lackadaisical, unhappily married and disinterested in much outside of boxing, sleeping, fishing, showgirls and Jimmie Lunceford swing songs. Tom Stanton, Detroit Free Press, 11 Feb. 2024 Effort should not be a problem, not after defenders got chastised for their lackadaisical play on two touchdown runs allowed in the NFC Championship Game. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024 David may adopt a lackadaisical manner in interviews, but there is real variety and experimentation in his work. M.d. Rodrigues, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Numerous other voters have also reported lackadaisical efforts, fruitless repeat knocking and bad attitudes from door knockers. Kellen Browning, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023 Portland’s 5-0 loss to Houston Dynamo in the team’s first MLS contest in more than a month was lackadaisical. Tyson Alger For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 20 Aug. 2023 Its lackadaisical approach to environmental regulation also gave it a leg up. Andrew Zaleski, Popular Mechanics, 22 Aug. 2023 Despite his lackadaisical attendance record and general disregard for orders from his superiors, Berg was an effective agent. Zachary Clary, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lackadaisical.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

irregular from lackaday + -ical

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lackadaisical was in 1768

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Dictionary Entries Near lackadaisical

Cite this Entry

“Lackadaisical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lackadaisical. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lackadaisical

adjective
lack·​a·​dai·​si·​cal ˌlak-ə-ˈdā-zi-kəl How to pronounce lackadaisical (audio)
: lacking spirit or enthusiasm : languid, listless
lackadaisically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on lackadaisical

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