The ennui meaning is a deep, weary kind of boredom: a flat, listless feeling that nothing around you is interesting and nothing is worth the effort. It is heavier than being bored for an afternoon; it hangs over days or weeks.
English borrowed the word from French, and it still carries a slightly literary, elegant air. People use it for the long slump of a dull job, the grey middle of a winter, or the restless mood of someone who has everything and still feels empty. Here is a clear ennui definition, how to pronounce it, and how to drop it into a sentence naturally.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Listless, weary dissatisfaction from lack of interest or excitementPart of speech
Noun (uncountable)Pronunciation
ahn-WEE or on-WEE; the first syllable is nasal in FrenchOrigin
French; in English since the 1660s, fully adopted by 1758Related to
the English verb annoy, which shares its old French rootClose words
boredom, tedium, listlessness, apathy, malaiseRegister
Literary and formal; used playfully in casual talk
What does ennui mean?
To define ennui in a sentence: it is a lasting sense of weariness and dissatisfaction that comes from having nothing that excites or engages you. Three features mark it out:
- It lingers. Ennui is a mood that stays, not a passing moment of having nothing to do.
- It drains energy. You may have free time and options but feel no pull toward any of them.
- It carries a hint of emptiness. Writers often link ennui to a quiet question about whether anything matters.
The word is uncountable, so you say a feeling of ennui or ennui set in, not an ennui in normal use.
How to pronounce ennui
The common English pronunciation is ahn-WEE, putting the weight on WEE. In French, the first syllable is a nasal vowel, and many English speakers soften it toward on. Avoid saying EN-yoo-eye or EN-oo-ee; the letters nui are spoken like wee.
Ennui meaning compared with boredom and apathy
| Word | How it feels | How long |
|---|---|---|
| boredom | Restless, wanting something to do | Often short |
| tedium | Dullness of a task that drags on | As long as the task |
| ennui | Weary, flat, nothing seems worth it | Lingers |
| apathy | Not caring at all, no feeling | Can be long term |
| melancholy | Gentle, thoughtful sadness | Moods or seasons |
Ennui sits between boredom and sadness. You are not exactly unhappy, and you are not simply waiting for the bell. You are tired of things being the way they are.
Ennui in example sentences
- By the third week of the summer break, a thick ennui had settled over the whole house.
- The novel follows a rich young man drifting through parties in a haze of ennui.
- Office ennui hit hard every Thursday afternoon, when the reports were done and the weekend still felt far off.
- She signed up for a pottery class to shake off the ennui of retirement.
A French word with an old root
Ennui is French. Its Old French ancestor, enui, meant annoyance or vexation as early as the 1200s, and it came from the same verbs that gave English the word annoy. So ennui and annoy are cousins.
English writers began using ennui in the 1660s, at first as a foreign word, often printed in italics. By the 1750s it was treated as a fully English noun. Over time its meaning moved from irritation toward the weary boredom we mean today.
When to use the word
Ennui works well in essays, fiction, reviews and thoughtful writing about moods or eras. In casual chat it often sounds a little playful or dramatic, which can be the point: "Sunday evening ennui" gets a laugh because the fancy word is applied to a small slump.
It is less useful in instructions or business emails, where plain words like boredom or low motivation are clearer. The people and feelings hub collects more mood words, and our phrases and greetings page, which collects other borrowed words such as deja vu.
Frequently asked questions
What does ennui mean in simple words?
Ennui means a long, heavy boredom where nothing seems interesting or worth doing. It feels flatter and longer lasting than ordinary boredom.
How do you pronounce ennui?
Say ahn-WEE, leaning on the last part. The French first syllable is nasal, so some people say on-WEE.
Is ennui the same as depression?
No. Ennui is a word for a mood of weary boredom. Depression is a medical condition with wider symptoms. If low mood lasts or affects daily life, talking to a health professional is wise.
Can you use ennui in everyday speech?
Yes, though it sounds literary. People often use it with a light, playful tone, such as complaining about Monday morning ennui.
Is there an adjective form of ennui?
English has no common adjective from it. You might say someone is listless, jaded or weary instead, or that they feel ennui.
What is the opposite of ennui?
Words such as enthusiasm, zest, eagerness and excitement work as opposites, since they describe energy and interest instead of weary boredom.