SPIRITLESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spiritless mean? 

• SPIRITLESS (adjective)
  The adjective SPIRITLESS has 2 senses:

1. lacking ardor or vigor or energy

2. evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant

  Familiarity information: SPIRITLESS used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPIRITLESS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lacking ardor or vigor or energy

Context example:

a spiritless reply to criticism

Similar:

apathetic (showing little or no emotion or animation)

bloodless (without vigor or zest or energy)

dispirited; listless (marked by low spirits; showing no enthusiasm)

heartless (devoid of courage or enthusiasm)

thin (lacking spirit or sincere effort)

Also:

dull (lacking in liveliness or animation)

unenthusiastic (not enthusiastic; lacking excitement or ardor)

Attribute:

animation; brio; invigoration; spiritedness; vivification (quality of being active or spirited or alive and vigorous)

Antonym:

spirited (displaying animation, vigor, or liveliness)

Derivation:

spiritlessness (the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant

Synonyms:

meek; spiritless

Context example:

was submissive and subservient

Similar:

submissive (inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination)

Derivation:

spiritlessness (the trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally)

 Context examples 

Oh! mama, how spiritless, how tame was Edward's manner in reading to us last night!

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

He sighed, and then said, in a spiritless tone, "Just as you like, Sir. It doesn't matter where I go or what I do."

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

But Annie, in a spiritless unhappy way, only went whither she was led, and seemed to have no care for anything.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I must have slept soundly, for I was not waked by Jonathan coming to bed; but the sleep has not refreshed me, for to-day I feel terribly weak and spiritless.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

But the spiritless condition which this event threw her into was shortly relieved, and her mind opened again to the agitation of hope, by an article of news which then began to be in circulation.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The soup would be sent round in a most spiritless manner, wine drank without any smiles or agreeable trifling, and the venison cut up without supplying one pleasant anecdote of any former haunch, or a single entertaining story, about my friend such a one.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I fell at once into a solitary condition,—apart from all friendly notice, apart from the society of all other boys of my own age, apart from all companionship but my own spiritless thoughts,—which seems to cast its gloom upon this paper as I write.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He was handsomer than ever and greatly improved, she thought, but now that the flush of pleasure at meeting her was over, he looked tired and spiritless—not sick, nor exactly unhappy, but older and graver than a year or two of prosperous life should have made him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Rendered spiritless by the ill-success of all their endeavours, he had yielded to his brother-in-law's entreaty that he would return to his family, and leave it to him to do whatever occasion might suggest to be advisable for continuing their pursuit.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I have erred against every common-place notion of decorum; I have been open and sincere where I ought to have been reserved, spiritless, dull, and deceitful—had I talked only of the weather and the roads, and had I spoken only once in ten minutes, this reproach would have been spared.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)