Indolent in a Sentence: Meaning, Examples & Practice

Indolent is an adjective for someone or something that avoids exertion and moves slowly by settled habit. To use indolent in a sentence, place it before a noun or after a linking verb: “The indolent cat ignored the open window.” It criticises a habit, not a single tired afternoon.

Indolent at a glance

• Indolent is an adjective; the noun is indolence and the adverb is indolently.
• It sits before a noun or after linking verbs such as be, seem and remain.
• The core sense is a settled dislike of effort rather than a temporary lack of energy.
• In medicine it describes a condition that develops slowly and causes little pain.
• The commonest error is confusing indolent with the similar-looking insolent.

What does indolent mean?

Indolent is an adjective meaning habitually avoiding work or effort. The Cambridge entry for indolent also records a technical sense, used of a disease or tumour that grows slowly and causes little pain, so the word carries an idea of slowness in both its everyday and its clinical use. The everyday sense is disapproving: an indolent student is not merely resting but reliably avoiding the task. Where the fault is a lack of energy rather than a lack of will, lethargic is more accurate, because lethargy can result from illness or exhaustion. Where the failure is emotional detachment rather than effort, apathetic fits better. Indolent itself always points at the work being left undone.

How do you use indolent in a sentence?

The adjective behaves like most descriptive adjectives, but the nouns it naturally describes fall into recognisable groups.

Indolent in a sentence: examples across contexts

Indolent is a formal, slightly literary word for laziness. Each row shows where it fits and why that setting tolerates the sting.

Indolent vs idle

The words idle and indolent both describe not working, but only one of them is an insult by default. The table separates them by what each word actually claims.

Use indolent when you mean a settled, blameworthy avoidance of effort, and use idle when you simply mean that nothing is happening or no one is occupied, because idle can be innocent and indolent rarely is.

Word forms and grammar of indolent

The family is regular, but the noun changes spelling enough to catch writers out.

Common mistakes with indolent

1. He was indolence all morning. He was indolent all morning. The linking verb be needs the adjective, not the noun.
2. She is indolent to help. She is indolent about helping. The adjective takes about or in before a task, never to plus a bare verb.
3. That was an insolent remark about laziness. That was an indolent remark about laziness. Insolent means rude, so it names the wrong fault.
4. an indolent of the group an indolent member of the group. Indolent is an adjective and cannot stand alone as a noun.
5. very indolent sickness an indolent sickness. In the medical sense, indolent already means slow, so intensifiers distort it.

Practice using indolent

1. Fill in the blank: The reviewer called the committee ______ for leaving the report untouched for a year.
2. Choose the better word: The photocopier stood ______ all week, but the clerks were not ______. (idle / indolent)
3. Correct the error: He is indolent to clean his room.
4. Build a sentence: use indolent before a noun about a character who avoids every chore.
5. Spot the register: which sentence belongs in a medical note, (a) The lump is an indolent growth, or (b) The lump is being lazy?
6. Fill in the blank: Her ______ at the desk was obvious to every visitor.

Answers

1. indolent. The sentence blames a settled habit, which is exactly what the adjective marks.
2. idle, then indolent. A machine is idle when unused, while people who avoid work are indolent.
3. He is indolent about cleaning his room. The adjective takes about before a task.
4. The indolent farmhand let the gate swing open and the sheep wander off. The adjective before the noun pins the habit on the character.
5. (a). Medical writing needs the neutral technical sense, while (b) is a joke.
6. indolence. The noun completes the possessive phrase Her ______ at the desk.

The bottom line

Indolent is the formal, faintly literary adjective for a settled habit of avoiding effort, and it sits either before its noun or after a linking verb. Keep it apart from idle, which can be innocent, and from insolent, which means rude. Describe a pattern rather than a single tired day, and indolent in a sentence will land with precision.

Frequently asked questions about indolent

Is indolent an insult?

Indolent is usually disapproving, because it describes a settled habit of avoiding effort rather than an unlucky moment of tiredness. In a school report or a performance review the word carries a clear criticism. In medical writing it is neutral and simply means slow to develop, so context decides how sharp the word sounds.

What is the noun form of indolent?

The noun is indolence, and the adverb is indolently. Indolence names the quality or habit itself, as in an afternoon lost to indolence. Do not invent indolency, which is not standard. If you need a countable noun, write a display of indolence rather than attaching a number directly to the abstract noun.

How is indolent different from lethargic?

Lethargic describes low energy, often caused by illness, heat or poor sleep, while indolent describes a choice to avoid effort. A runner can feel lethargic after a fever but remain hard-working, and an indolent clerk can be perfectly healthy. Choose the word by asking whether energy or willingness is the missing ingredient.

Can indolent describe a thing rather than a person?

Indolent often describes rivers, afternoons, breezes and diseases, where it means slow-moving or slow to develop. When applied to a thing, the word is usually gentler and more literary than when applied to a person. A business report should reserve it for human habits, where the criticism is understood.

Have you ever come across the term “indolent” while reading or conversing and found yourself unsure of its exact meaning? In simple terms, being indolent refers to showing a tendency to avoid activity or exertion; in other words, being lazy or idle.

This adjective can be used to describe someone who is habitually lazy or sluggish in carrying out their responsibilities or tasks. It conveys a sense of apathy or slothfulness, suggesting a lack of drive or motivation towards accomplishing goals or completing work.

7 Examples Of Indolent Used In a Sentence For Kids

1. The boy is feeling indolent today.
2. I don’t want to be indolent anymore.
3. Let’s play outside and not be indolent.
4. We should all be active and not indolent.
5. It’s better to be energetic than indolent.
6. Remember to not be indolent during class.
7. Being indolent can make us feel lazy.

14 Sentences with Indolent Examples

1. Indolent students often struggle to keep up with their coursework and assignments.
2. It’s important to break free from indolent habits and stay motivated to achieve academic success.
3. Group study sessions can help keep indolent tendencies at bay and improve productivity.
4. Developing a structured study routine is crucial for combating indolence.
5. He was known for his indolent behavior during lectures, often dozing off in class.
6. Indolent students may find it challenging to meet deadlines and excel in their exams.
7. Setting specific goals can help students overcome indolence and stay focused on their studies.
8. It’s essential for college students to recognize and address any indolent tendencies early on.
9. Seeking support from peers and professors can be beneficial for indolent students looking to improve their academic performance.
10. A healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and good nutrition, can help combat feelings of indolence.
11. Indolent behavior can hinder a student’s overall academic progress and future career prospects.
12. Utilizing time management techniques can be effective in minimizing indolent habits.
13. Creating a study schedule and sticking to it can help students overcome indolence.
14. Procrastination is often a common symptom of indolence among college students.

How To Use Indolent in Sentences?

To use Indolent in a sentence, you must understand that it is an adjective that describes someone who is lazy or avoids work. Here is a simple guide on how to use Indolent in a sentence:

1. Begin your sentence with a subject, which can be a person, animal, or thing.
2. Use a helping verb like “is” or “seems” before the main verb to connect the subject with Indolent. For example, “He is indolent” or “She seems indolent.”
3. Follow the helping verb with the main word, Indolent.
4. Provide context or additional details to strengthen the sentence, such as explaining why the person is described as Indolent.

Here is an example sentence using Indolent: “The student was feeling indolent after staying up all night playing video games instead of doing homework.”

Remember, the word Indolent is used to show someone who is lazy, sluggish, or shows a lack of effort. Make sure to use it in a sentence where you want to convey this specific meaning. Practice using Indolent in different sentences to become more comfortable with incorporating it into your vocabulary.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the examples of sentences with the keyword “indolent” emphasized a lack of drive or activity in individuals, portraying a leisurely and slothful attitude. These sentences described people who were lazy, unmotivated, and showed a reluctance to work or exert effort. The word “indolent” was consistently used to convey a sense of inactivity, idleness, and a general aversion to responsibility or hard work in different contexts.

Overall, the sentences featuring the term “indolent” underscored the importance of staying proactive, dedicated, and diligent in pursuing one’s goals. They serve as a reminder of the negative consequences that can arise from being lethargic and unproductive, highlighting the value of maintaining an industrious and focused approach towards achieving success in various aspects of life.