Ennui
A weary, listless flatness — not 'nothing to do' but 'nothing worth doing'. The state of finding existence itself faintly tiresome.
Full definition of Ennui →:: COMPARE ::
EnnuivsBoredom
The short answer
Boredom is situational and an event cures it. Ennui is dispositional and survives the event — it is glossed as a listlessness CAUSED BY boredom, which makes boredom the cause and ennui the residue.
Side by side
| Aspect | Ennui | Boredom |
|---|---|---|
| Cured by an event | No | Yes |
| About | Everything | This afternoon |
| Root feeling | Loathing | Restlessness |
| Register | Literary | Plain |
What each one means
Boredom
The contrast above sets out how Boredom differs from Ennui on the points that actually matter.