idle may be used in reference to persons that move lazily or without purpose.
idled the day away
loaf suggests either resting or wandering about as though there were nothing to do.
she does her work and then loafs the rest of the day
lounge, though occasionally used as equal to idle or loaf, typically conveys an additional implication of resting or reclining against a support or of physical comfort and ease in relaxation.
he lounged against the wall
loll also carries an implication of a posture similar to that of lounge, but places greater stress upon an indolent or relaxed attitude.
lolling on the couch
laze usually implies the relaxation of a busy person enjoying a vacation or moments of leisure.
lazed about between appointments
Examples of loaf in a Sentence
Noun
slicing a loaf of bread Verb
I spent most of the weekend just loafing around the house.
the kind of sultry August afternoon that makes you just want to loaf
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Centrally located, visitors can easily walk to the Wortham Performing Arts Center to catch a show; the iconic South Slope neighborhood to visit a brewery or grab a loaf of Mother’s legendary focaccia; or check out the weekly Friday night drum circle in Pritchard Park.—Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2024 In the New Testament tale where Jesus proposed to feed 5,000 hungry people at Jewish Passover with just five small loaves of bread and a couple little fishes, Philip had expressed serious doubt.—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2024
Verb
This, mind you, was not a cruise ship meant to loaf around the Caribbean.—Brittany Murray/medianews Group/long Beach Press-Telegram Via Getty Images, Curbed, 19 Jan. 2024 Progressed from loafing here and there with scant dollars in my pocket, to swaggering to and fro with a bankroll swelling my sock.—Mitchell S. Jackson, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for loaf
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loaf.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English lof, from Old English hlāf; akin to Old High German hleib loaf
Verb
probably back-formation from loafer
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
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