noun

indolence

IN-duh-luns/ˈɪndələns/

Unwillingness to make an effort.

His indolence keeps him on the couch while chores pile up.

White adult lounges ignoring a modest stack of unfinished chores.

Etymology

inLatinnot, without

+dolLatinsuffer pain, grieve

+enceLatinstate or condition

“Not suffering pain” first described insensibility, then a neutral state of rest or ease. Its shift to laziness may reflect avoiding trouble or refusing to “take pains.”

In context

Libranima81:14

diligence is the mother of good fortune, and indolence, its opposite, never yet attained the object of an honest ambition.

Don Quixote - Cervantes (Illustrated Audiobook) Part 4 of 4

More examples

She mistakes his exhaustion for indolence.
Out of sheer indolence, I order delivery instead of cooking.
The manager blames indolence for the team's unfinished work.

Forms

indolence

indolent adjective — Unwilling to work or make an effort.

Similar words

laziness: The everyday term for unwillingness to work or exert oneself.
sloth: Suggests habitual laziness, often with strong moral disapproval.