shiftlessness

noun

as in inertia
an inclination not to do work or engage in activities with the start of the warm weather, combating the students' shiftlessness was a constant ordeal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shiftlessness
  1. inertia
  2. laziness
Noun
  • The Torcal’s response on-center is deliberately somewhat muted, progressing as the driver turns the wheel, helping maintain the illusion that the Torcal’s mere inertia is sufficient to carry it through irregularities in the path ahead.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The air temperature did not change much, probably due to the thermal inertia of the surrounding water.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of inertia
Noun
  • The internet has become a hotbed for the monetization of almost anything, and as media literacy is in decline — likely not as a result of laziness, but rather overwhelm — it’s never been easier to convert this overwhelm into sales.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 21 Aug. 2026
  • And his laziness has long outstripped his loyalty to the queen.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of laziness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

shiftlessly
shiftlessness
shifts
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shiftlessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shiftlessness. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All