idleness

idleness

noun

Definition of IDLENESS

1

an inclination not to do work or engage in activities <the brothers' innate idleness meant that neither did much, either inside or outside their ramshackle cabin>

Synonyms idleness, indolence, inertia, shiftlessness, sloth

Related Words apathy, languor, lassitude, lethargy, listlessness, sluggishness, supineness; dallying, goldbricking, loafing, lolling, lounging

Near Antonyms ambition, enterprise, go, hustle, initiative; assiduity, assiduousness, diligence, perseverance; animation, briskness, energy, exuberance, jazziness, liveliness, lustiness, pep, peppiness, robustness, sprightliness, vibrancy, vigor, vim, vitality, vivacity

Antonyms drive, industriousness, industry

2

lack of action or activity <a day spent in idleness is nice, but a month of doing nothing is boring!>

Synonyms dormancy, idleness, inactivity, inertness, nonaction, quiescence

Related Words indolence, inertia, languor, lassitude, laziness, lethargy, listlessness, shiftlessness, sleepiness, sloth, sluggishness; dallying, loafing, lolling, lounging

Near Antonyms animateness, briskness, exuberance, jazziness, liveliness, peppiness, robustness, sprightliness, vibrancy, vivacity; assiduity, assiduousness, business, diligence, employment, industriousness, industry, occupation

Antonyms action, activeness, activity

3

lack of use <the idleness of the sewing machine was apparent by its thick layer of dust>

Synonyms desuetude, idleness, inactivity

Related Words abandonment, desertion, neglect; abeyance, dormancy, latency, quiescence

Antonyms use