Lazy” and “inactive” share the denotative meaning of not doing much or not doing anything. But there are vast differences in connotation. Would you rather be called “lazy” or “inactive”? The emotional meaning of the word “lazy” is far more negative than the more neutral word “inactive.”
Read the following sentence.
The man stretched slowly, then continued his sluggish walk down the street.
How would the meaning of the sentence change if the author used the word “unhurried” instead of word “sluggish”?
A
The man would seem less lazy.
B
The man would seem funnier.
C
The man would seem more talented.
D
The man would seem more talkative.
A. The man would seem less lazy.
Using the word "unhurried" instead of "sluggish" would imply that the man is taking his time deliberately and in a relaxed manner, rather than being slow or lazy. It would suggest that he is calm and unhurried, rather than lazy or inactive.