Lackadaisical

Lacking enthusiasm, energy, or effort; showing little interest or determination.

adjective

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Imagine This

Picture a student in a classroom who drags into the room, yawns, checks the clock every few seconds, and completes tasks with half-hearted effort, as if the day’s energy has drained away.

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Sounds Like

LAK-uh-DAY-zuh-kuhl

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Looks Like

Looks like a playful blend of 'lack' + 'a' + 'daisy' + 'cal' (a daisy inside the word hints at the origin and mood).

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Remember This

Lackadaisical is often milder than terms like lazy or negligent; it emphasizes attitude or approach rather than innate ability. It rose from playful earlier forms like lackadaisy and lackaday, then was turned into the adjective lackadaisical.

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Other Forms

lackadaisicalnessnoun

lackadaisicallyadverb

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Connect With

apathy, laziness, indifference, lethargy, disinterest

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Note

Use to describe attitude or effort (not physical ability). Be careful not to label someone as entirely incapable; the sense is one of disengaged or half-hearted participation.

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Study Deeper

Examples

The team's lackadaisical attitude during practice led to a disappointing performance.
Her lackadaisical approach to studying caused her to fall behind in the course.

Synonyms

apatheticindifferentlethargicslackunenthusiastic

Antonyms

enthusiasticenergeticdiligent

Etymology

From lackadaisy, an early English playful coinage likely derived from lackaday (an exclamation meaning 'alas') with the addition of the -ical suffix to form an adjective. The exact origin is uncertain, but it connotes a lack of spirit or energy.

Mnemonic

Lack-a-DAISY-cal: envision a bright daisy that suddenly looks limp and sleepy; the word literally contains 'daisy' and suggests a lack of energy.