indolent

/ˈɪndələnt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪndələnt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈin-də-lənt/ (ame, mw)

indolent — adjective

  • indolentpositive
  • more indolentcomparative
  • most indolentsuperlative

1. habitually avoiding work or effort, often in a comfortable, unhurried way that s

1.形容詞C1
釋義

habitually avoiding work or effort, often in a comfortable, unhurried way that suggests the person sees no reason to hurry.

例句

Yuna's indolent older brother spent every summer afternoon napping on the porch swing.

attributive: indolent + person noun

The new manager replaced the indolent staff who had ignored customers for years.

attributive describing workers

同義詞
  • lazy

    everyday, neutral-to-negative; the default daily word

  • idle

    stresses not being active; less judgemental than 'indolent'

  • slothful

    even more formal/literary, often morally disapproving

  • lethargic

    physical sluggishness from tiredness or illness, not character

反義詞
  • industrious

    consistently hard-working — direct opposite in formal register

  • diligent

    careful and steady effort, especially at study or duties

用法筆記

Strongly formal or literary; in everyday speech, Taiwanese learners should reach for 'lazy' instead. Often carries a mild tone of disapproval but can be softened by context (e.g. a relaxed summer day).

常見錯誤

❌I felt indolent this morning so I skipped the gym.
✅I felt lazy this morning so I skipped the gym.
💡'indolent' is too formal for one-off moods about yourself; reserve it for describing habitual character or atmospheres.
❌The indolent runner won the race.
✅The lazy-looking runner surprised everyone by winning the race.
💡'indolent' implies someone who avoids effort, so pairing it with winning a race sounds contradictory.

2. of a sore, ulcer, or tumour: developing or getting better very slowly and usuall

2.形容詞C2
釋義

of a sore, ulcer, or tumour: developing or getting better very slowly and usually without much pain.

例句

The doctor explained that Omar's indolent ulcer would take many months to heal completely.

medical: indolent + ulcer / sore / lesion

Indolent tumours often go unnoticed because they grow slowly and rarely cause pain.

plural generic: indolent tumours

同義詞
  • chronic

    lasting a long time; more general than 'indolent' and not limited to slow growth

  • slow-growing

    plain-English equivalent often used outside medical writing

反義詞
  • aggressive

    standard medical opposite for tumours: grows and spreads quickly

  • acute

    developing suddenly and severely

用法筆記

Only sense used in medical and veterinary writing; distinguish from sense 1 by the noun it modifies — body conditions (ulcer, tumour, wound) signal this sense, while people, places, or moods signal sense 1.

常見錯誤

❌My cut was indolent and bled a lot.
✅My cut was slow to heal and bled a lot.
💡'indolent' wounds heal slowly but are usually painless; bleeding heavily contradicts the term.