Meanings
comparative more spiritless · superlative most spiritless
- Lacking energy, drive, motivation or emotion. Enervated.
The team played a spiritless first half, just going through the motions. But the realization they were playing for their sick friend energized them for the second half.
Synonyms: languid, low-spirited, adiaphroistic, apathetic, apathistical, blasé, blithe, deaf
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveLacking energy, drive, motivation or emotion. Enervated.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivelacking ardor or vigor or energy
adjectiveevidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)peys-der.?
- Latinspīrō
- Latinspīritu
- Old Frenchespirit
- Middle Englishspirit
- Englishspirit
- Proto-Indo-European*lewh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*lewHs-
- Proto-Germanic*leusaną
- Proto-Germanic*lausaz
- Englishspiritless
Translations
Ancient Greek ἄθυμος
- ἄθυμος (áthumos)lacking energy or emotion
Bulgarian бездушен
- бездушен (bezdušen)lacking energy or emotion
Irish anábhailleach, marbhánta
- anábhailleachlacking energy or emotion
- marbhántalacking energy or emotion
Māori waitau
- waitaulacking energy or emotion
Spanish apocado
- apocadolacking energy or emotion
Cite this entry
spiritless. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spiritless
“spiritless.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spiritless. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spiritless,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spiritless.
Source: spiritless on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.