doldrums

plural noun

dol·​drums ˈdōl-drəmz  ˈdäl- 

ˈdȯl-

1

: a spell of listlessness or despondency

fighting off the winter doldrums

2

often capitalized oceanography : a part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms (see calm entry 1 sense 1b), squalls, and light shifting winds

3

: a state or period of inactivity, stagnation, or slump

out of the economic doldrums

Did you know?

Almost everyone gets the doldrums—a feeling of low spirits and lack of energy—every once in a while. The doldrums experienced by sailors, however, are usually of a different variety. In the early-19th century, the word once reserved for a feeling of despondency came to be applied to certain tropical regions of the ocean marked by the absence of strong winds. Sailing vessels, reliant on wind propulsion, struggled to make headway in these regions, leading to long, arduous journeys. The exact etymology of doldrums is not certain, though it is believed to be related to the Old English dol, meaning "foolish"—a history it shares with our adjective dull.

Synonyms

• abeyance
• cold storage
• deep freeze
• dormancy
• holding pattern
• latency
• moratorium
• quiescence
• suspended animation
• suspense
• suspension

Examples of doldrums in a Sentence

the theater scene is usually in the doldrums during the summer

the team had been in the doldrums ever since losing the championship

we were in the doldrums while we waited for something to happen

Recent Examples on the Web

Red Lobster promised customers an endless supply of shrimp for $20 — a gamble the struggling restaurant chain hoped would help pull it out of its pandemic doldrums. —Marisa Gerber, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024

And consumer sentiment is at last showing signs of rebounding after years in the doldrums. —Ben Casselman, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably akin to Old English dol foolish

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

doldrums

plural noun

dol·​drums ˈdōl-drəmz  ˈdäl- 

ˈdȯl-

1

: a spell of low spirits

2

: a part of the ocean near the equator known for its calms

3

: a state in which nothing seems to be going on

business is in the doldrums