sloth

noun

\ ˈslȯth

, ˈsläth also ˈslōth

plural sloths\ with ths

or t͟hz \

Definition of sloth

1a : disinclination to action or labor : indolence

b : spiritual apathy and inactivity the deadly sin of sloth

2 : any of various slow-moving arboreal edentate mammals (genera Bradypus and Choloepus) that inhabit tropical forests of South and Central America, hang from the branches back downward, and feed on leaves, shoots, and fruits — compare three-toed sloth, two-toed sloth

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about sloth

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Examples of sloth in a Sentence

the sins of gluttony and sloth a youth inclined more toward sloth than athletics

Recent Examples on the Web

When Carlos’s family planned a trip to Panama’s Soberanía National Park, sloths were high on their must-see agenda. — Johnny Simon, Quartz, "A year’s worth of surprising and poignant nature photos," 8 Sep. 2019 Bell is, of course, referring to a viral video that made the rounds in 2012 of her crying over meeting a sloth for the first time. — Lauren Huff, EW.com, "Watch Kristen Bell freak out meeting Lin-Manuel Miranda, whom she dubs 'the new sloth'," 19 July 2019 Being removed from the wild can be a very traumatizing experience for an animal, whether an elephant or a beluga whale or a sloth. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "Neglectful Sanctuaries and Poached Animals: New Report Reveals the Dark Side of Wildlife Tourism," 7 June 2019 And then there’s the sloth, the flamingo, the skunk, the orangutan, as well as a new yawning emoji. — BostonGlobe.com, "CVS begins human trials of home dialysis machine," 18 July 2019 Apple also announced new emojis coming to the iPhone in the fall, including a sloth, skunk and falafel. — Adam Lashinsky, Fortune, "Why It’s Not So Easy To Regulate or Split Up Big Tech Companies—Data Sheet," 17 July 2019 And then there’s the sloth, the flamingo, the skunk, the orangutan, as well as a new yawning emoji. — Michelle Chapman, Twin Cities, "Apple, Google continue inclusive push with new emoji," 17 July 2019 Other new emojis include animals (a sloth, flamingo, skunk and orangutan), foods (waffle, falafel, butter and garlic) and gender-neutral characters, along with more professions and clothing types. — Amy Woodyatt, CNN, "Apple unveils disability-themed emojis in push for greater diversity," 17 July 2019 More from Heather Knight Not shockingly at sloth-like City Hall, progress has been slow. — Heather Knight, SFChronicle.com, "Statue of Maya Angelou comes into sharp relief as SF diversifies public art," 21 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sloth.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for sloth

sloth

noun

English Language Learners Definition of sloth

formal : the quality or state of being lazy

: a type of animal that lives in trees in South and Central America and that moves very slowly

See the full definition for sloth in the English Language Learners Dictionary

sloth

noun

\ ˈslȯth

, ˈslōth\

Kids Definition of sloth

1 : the quality or state of being lazy

2 : an animal of Central and South America that hangs with its back downward and moves slowly along the branches of trees on whose leaves, twigs, and fruits it feeds

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sloth

Definition of sloth

Illustration of sloth

Synonyms & Antonyms for sloth

Examples of sloth in a Sentence

First Known Use of sloth

History and Etymology for sloth

English Language Learners Definition of sloth

Kids Definition of sloth

sloth

Definition of sloth

Illustration of sloth

Synonyms & Antonyms for sloth

Examples of sloth in a Sentence

First Known Use of sloth

History and Etymology for sloth

English Language Learners Definition of sloth

Kids Definition of sloth

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