Ennui
noun /ɒnˈwiː/ — A sophisticated boredom — listlessness from a surfeit of experience and lack of purpose.
Definition
A feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement; not mere boredom but a deeper, more philosophical emptiness that comes from wanting meaning and finding none.
Beyond the definition
Ennui is not the same as boredom. Boredom is wanting something to do. Ennui is a condition of the soul — the suspicion that nothing will quite satisfy, that all options have been examined and found wanting, that you are not waiting for something to begin but wondering if anything will ever feel like enough.
Origin & history
French, from Old French 'enui' (displeasure), from Latin 'in odio' (in hate) — the same root as 'annoy.' Ennui borrowed the French refinement of a feeling English already knew.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She suffered from ennui more than boredom — the problem wasn't a lack of things to do but a lack of things that mattered.
He recognised ennui in himself at thirty — all options available, none of them sufficient.
Ennui is what happens when the experience of living has been fully catalogued and found insufficient.
Synonyms
listlessness, tedium, languor, world-weariness
Antonyms
enthusiasm, passion, engagement, purpose
Related words
Ennui vs boredom
Boredom is usually a temporary reaction to a dull situation or lack of interest. Ennui describes a more profound, existential state of world-weariness and pervasive dissatisfaction with life.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Exhausted witness on a bench
An adult sits head-in-hands on a park bench while a chaotic crowd swirls past, appearing utterly disconnected from the energy.
The person’s fatigue and disconnection reflect a deeper philosophical emptiness than boredom—the ennui of wanting to intervene in the world's struggles but feeling unable to find any meaningful path. It is the listlessness of having no momentum or belief in purpose.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration