anemia

IPA/əˈniːmiə/
KK[ənˈimiə]IPA/əˈniːmiə/

anemia — noun

1. a health problem where the blood has too few healthy red cells, so the body cann

1.nounB2
Definition

a health problem where the blood has too few healthy red cells, so the body cannot get enough oxygen, leaving the person feeling tired and looking pale

Example

Tunde felt tired every day until his doctor tested his blood and found he had anemia.

After taking iron supplements for two months, Gabriela's energy returned and her anemia was gone.

treat + anemia with iron supplements

Common collocations
  • have / suffer from anemia
  • be diagnosed with anemia
  • treat / cure anemia
  • iron-deficiency / sickle-cell / pernicious anemia
  • severe / mild / chronic anemia
  • test / check for anemia

Grammar Patterns

have + anemia

be diagnosed with + anemia

suffer from + anemia

Usage Note

Usually uncountable; the countable form ('an anemic') is extremely rare and only appears in medical textbooks referring to a specific type or case. Adjectives specifying the type of anemia are very common: iron-deficiency anemia, sickle-cell anemia, pernicious anemia, aplastic anemia.

Common Mistakes

I have a anemia.
I have anemia.
Anemia is an uncountable noun and does not take 'a' or 'an'.
She was diagnosed with anemia virus.
She was diagnosed with anemia.
Anemia is a condition, not a virus or infection.

2. a quality of being weak, lifeless, or uninspired — used especially about art, cu

2.nounC1
Definition

a quality of being weak, lifeless, or uninspired — used especially about art, culture, creativity, or other areas that should be full of energy and life but instead feel dull or empty

Example

Critics said the film suffered from emotional anemia that made its story hard to care about.

emotional anemia — figurative modifier specifying domain

The town's cultural anemia was clear from the empty theaters and quiet museums.

Common collocations
  • emotional / cultural / creative / spiritual anemia
  • suffer from / show signs of anemia
  • a kind of anemia
Synonyms
  • lifelessness

    more general; describes anything without energy, not just creative or spiritual domains

  • dullness

    focuses on lack of interest or excitement; weaker and less systemic than 'anemia'

  • inertia

    suggests a failure to move or change; implies laziness or resistance rather than inner emptiness

Antonyms
  • vitality

    the direct opposite — full of energy and life

  • vigor

    suggests active strength and enthusiasm

Grammar Patterns

adj + anemia: emotional / cultural / creative / spiritual

Usage Note

Always uncountable. Almost always requires a preceding adjective or noun modifier that names the domain where the lack of vitality is felt ('emotional', 'cultural', 'creative', 'spiritual'). Without the modifier the sentence sounds like the medical sense. Much less common than sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The music had anemia.
The music had a kind of emotional anemia.
The figurative sense needs a domain modifier (emotional, cultural, creative) so the reader knows you are not talking about a medical condition.
The team showed anemia after losing the game.
The team's playing showed a kind of creative anemia after losing the game.
Adding 'a kind of' and a modifier makes the figurative meaning clear.

Word family

  • anemic
    adjectiveB2
  • anemically
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four terms describe a lack of energy or strength, but 'anemia' (figurative sense) suggests a deep, systemic weakness in something that ought to be vibrant — especially art, culture, or spirit. 'Lifelessness' is more general and can describe anything from a conversation to a party. 'Dullness' focuses on a lack of interest or excitement, not necessarily an essential weakness. 'Inertia' implies a failure to move or change rather than an inner emptiness. For instance, a film might suffer from 'emotional anemia' (a systemic lack of feeling), while a boring lecture suffers from 'dullness' (a surface-level lack of interest). 'Inertia' better fits an organization that cannot innovate despite having capable people.

lifelessness ↗dullness ↗inertia ↗

Etymology

GreekEnglish

From Greek 'an-' (without) + 'haima' (blood), literally 'without blood'. Entered English as a medical term in the early 1800s. The figurative sense (lack of vitality) developed in the 1900s.

First known use

1800

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a