Meaning & use
indolently
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Meanings
adverbnot comparableliterary
In a lazy, slow way, as though unwilling to make any effort.
Grammar: Modifies a verb: he stretched indolently.
The cat stretched indolently in the sun.
He waved indolently at the waiter and ordered another drink.
She turned the pages indolently, hardly reading.
adverbnot comparableliterary
In a relaxed, unhurried manner that shows comfortable ease rather than tiredness.
Grammar: Often creates a mood in descriptions of leisure.
The river flowed indolently past the sleepy town.
They lounged indolently on the terrace all afternoon.
Smoke drifted indolently from the chimney.
Common combinations
- stretch indolently
- The lion stretched indolently on the rock.
- lounge indolently
- Students lounged indolently on the grass.
- wave indolently
- He waved indolently toward the door.
- drift indolently
- Clouds drifted indolently across the sky.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lazily
- Lazily is the everyday word, while indolently sounds more literary and elegant.
- languidly
- Languidly stresses a graceful slowness, while indolently stresses unwillingness to make effort.
- idly
- Idly suggests doing nothing in particular, while indolently adds a sense of dislike for effort.
- sluggishly
- Sluggishly suggests slowness from heaviness or weakness, not a relaxed attitude.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: indolently or insolently?
indolently vs insolently
Insolently means rudely and disrespectfully. Indolently means lazily.
Practice
Which sentence uses indolently correctly?
Choose one answer.
Lying in a hammock is a lazy, relaxed action. The other sentences describe fast or energetic actions that contradict indolently.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “indolently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.