TORPID Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

torpid

adjective

ˈtȯr-pəd

Definition of torpid

as in sleepy

slow to move or act a torpid sloth that refused to budge off its tree branch

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in numb

lacking in sensation or feeling my tongue and throat remained torpid for a time following the endoscopy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of torpid The sequel, by contrast, is torpid, clogged with lengthy but uninteresting tête-à-têtes and generally lacking in vigor, even in the two blowout battle scenes in the final act. — Kyle Smith, WSJ, 10 Nov. 2022 Even since Thailand’s 2014 coup d’etat that brought Prayuth to power, reform of the police has topped the agenda, yet progress has been torpid. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Oct. 2022 The intensity of that airlift — one of the largest in history — stands in sharp contrast to the torpid pace of evacuations after the withdrawal. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022 This lowers the body temperature so much that a torpid hummingbird maintains a hypothermic threshold that nears death. — Janaya Wecker, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2022 See All Example Sentences for torpid

Recent Examples of Synonyms for torpid

Adjective

No one predicted the sleepy backwater of Sassnitz would be rebranded ‘Crashnitz’ or ‘Smashnitz’ by the end of the first edition of the German Sail Grand Prix last year.

— Andrew Rice, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
During an allegedly sleepy period on the NBA schedule, the Lakers shook everyone awake with a blaring alarm.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is expected to reveal details of the administration’s sanctions plans later today on a country which has so far been numb to economic pain.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Then, in late May 1986, Kontras, whose tall, athletic build discloses a lifelong dedication to good health, noticed a swelling on the left side of his back that was numb to the touch.

— Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of numb

Adjective

In recent studies by AccuWeather experts, excessive rainfall can contribute to insect and fungus damage in parts of Pennsylvania, which may lead to duller colors and earlier leaf drop.

— Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
The city is flooded with dull and uninteresting structures clad in the material.

— Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Oct. 2025

Definition of numbed

Adjective

Gap's Old Navy brand saw sluggish sales due to products that failed to land with shoppers — and not a larger macroeconomic issue, CEO Richard Dickson told CNBC at the time.

— Michelle Fox, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
For Starbucks, which only recently turned around sluggish sales, the PSL is a chance to focus attention on a signature product.

— Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of sluggish

Adjective

No team wants to peak on the first Saturday, but our league loves a narrative and what happens right now sets a tone; Manchester United’s is discordant, flat, lethargic.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Female mice dosed with QACs lost interest in food, became lethargic and short of breath, and began to lose muscle control during late pregnancy.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of lethargic

Adjective

Experts believe the volcano is currently in a quiescent state, but researchers monitor it around the clock.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
For galaxies with a quiescent supermassive black hole, astronomers measure how quickly the stars tightly packed near the center of the galaxy are traveling.

— Mary Ogborn, The Conversation, 25 June 2026

Definition of quiescent

Browse Nearby Words

torpedoes

torpid

torpidity

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

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Synonyms of torpid

adjective

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