English vocabulary · C1
Ennui
/ɑːnˈwiː/ · n.
It means a deep feeling of boredom and emptiness.
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Example sentences
- He sat by the window, lost in ennui.
- Her days were full of ennui after she stopped working.
Word origin and roots
from French
- ennui — deep boredom (from French)
Synonyms and nuances
- boredom (lacking interest or engagement)
- listlessness (having no energy or motivation)
- apathy (feeling indifferent to everything)
Words with the same root
odium — disgust
- odious — extremely unpleasant and causing strong dislike
- annoy — to irritate or displease — from the same Latin root via French
Lesson notes
Ennui. It means a deep feeling of boredom and emptiness. Nothing feels interesting or worth doing.
Similar words are boredom, listlessness, and apathy. Use ennui when life feels flat and nothing seems worth doing.
He sat by the window, lost in ennui. Her days were full of ennui after she stopped working.
From French. Ennui means deep boredom. When nothing feels real or worth doing, that feeling is ennui.