idler

noun

ˈī-dᵊl-ər 

ˈīd-lər

plural idlers

1

: one who spends time idly : an idle, inactive, or lazy person

The idlers in O'Toole's and in the candy store would crowd outside, leaving their beers and chocolate malteds behind.

—Stephen King

There he assumed the role of society playboy, swell dancer, ready wit and all-around idler, all the while continuing a nearly secret life as a dedicated painter.

—Frank Getlein

"He has never done anything—he is a selfish idler."

—Henry James

For this was the regime that was supposed to turn idlers, spongers, beggars and assorted ne'er-do-wells into industrious responsible members of society.

—Simon Schama

2

a

: idler pulley

This new design eliminates idlers and all the maintenance issues associated with the traditional conveyor design.

—Biomass Magazine

b

: idler wheel

Some manufacturers use larger drive wheels with smaller idlers that are free to turn on their own axes.

—Harry H. Poole

Examples of idler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His discoveries promise to upset the gaming tables of every school of thought that wagers on new and untested art for idlers’ rewards: the love of novelty, the will to make or unmake reputations, the wish to be hip or au courant. —Mark Greif, Harper's Magazine, 26 July 2024

Their name exudes the essence of an idler and slacker, but women’s loafers themselves are quite the opposite. —Gaby Keiderling, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Jan. 2023

This represents the loss of an idea of what the capital should represent, the removal of a place that was an idler’s haven. —Anandi Mishra, The Atlantic, 30 July 2022

If the flaneur is an active idler, the badaud is a stationary, passive one, ready to stare open-mouthed at any phenomenon that offers novelty or puzzlement. —Julian Barnes, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2022

That these dialogues are a joint project of the WEF and the entitled idler next in line to the British throne is another reminder that democracy is no part of the Davos game. —Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 29 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing idler

• idler pulley
• idler wheel