Ennui

Pronunciation: /ɑnˈwiː/

Definitions of ennui

noun a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement

Example Sentences

A1 I feel ennui when I have nothing to do.

A2 She experienced ennui during the long train journey.

B1 His ennui at work led him to seek a new job.

B2 The ennui of living in a small town eventually drove her to move to the city.

C1 Despite his success, he couldn't shake off the feeling of ennui that plagued him.

C2 The ennui of the endless meetings made her question her career choice.

Examples of ennui in a Sentence

formal The constant ennui of the long winter months can be quite challenging for some individuals.

informal I'm feeling so bored and tired of this ennui, let's do something fun!

slang I can't stand this ennui anymore, it's driving me crazy!

figurative His ennui was like a heavy weight on his shoulders, dragging him down every day.

Grammatical Forms of ennui

• past tense: ennuied
• plural: ennuis
• comparative: more ennui
• superlative: most ennui
• present tense: feels ennui
• future tense: will feel ennui
• perfect tense: has felt ennui
• continuous tense: is feeling ennui
• singular: ennui
• positive degree: ennui
• infinitive: to ennui
• gerund: ennuying
• participle: ennuied

Origin and Evolution of ennui

First Known Use: 1660 year

Language of Origin: French

Story behind the word: The word 'ennui' originated from French, derived from the Old French word 'anui' meaning 'annoyance' or 'boredom'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'ennui' has evolved from a feeling of annoyance or boredom to represent a more profound sense of existential dissatisfaction or world-weariness.