loiter

verb

loi·​ter ˈlȯi-tər How to pronounce loiter (audio)
loitered; loitering; loiters

intransitive verb

1
: to delay an activity with idle stops and pauses : dawdle
asked him not to loiter on the way home
2
a
: to remain in an area for no obvious reason
teenagers loitering in the parking lot
b
: to lag behind
a crowd of people, who loitered to hear the bloodcurdling threats the prisoner shoutedWilla Cather
loiter noun
loiterer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for loiter

delay, procrastinate, lag, loiter, dawdle, dally mean to move or act slowly so as to fall behind.

delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time.

loitered at several store windows
children dawdling on their way home from school

dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

Examples of loiter in a Sentence

Loitering is prohibited outside the theaters. don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark
Recent Examples on the Web Two years into Russia’s wider war on Ukraine, explosive drones—loitering airplane-style models as well as first-person-view quadcopters—are among the biggest threats to armored vehicles on both sides. David Axe, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 After 15 minutes of loitering outside, the bear moved on and walked away from the house. Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2023 But instead of another 32-yard run, Samuel loitered in the backfield. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2024 Fans wearing wigs and glittery underwear were already loitering on the boardwalk, taking pictures. Mina Tavakoli, The New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2023 Video evidence Patton requested from Lafayette’s landlord showed people loitering near the apartment building, Patton said, but no proof any of them were his guests. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2024 These small vessels fitted with loitering munitions could essentially serve as a protective force for larger ships, intercepting boats and USVs armed with explosives for attacks on those vessels. Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2023 The version designed to target drones or even missiles can loiter autonomously looking for threats. Will Knight, WIRED, 1 Dec. 2023 Some droplets seemed to loiter in the air, to be depicted as mist. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'loiter.' 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

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of loiter was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near loiter

Cite this Entry

“Loiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/loiter. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

loiter

verb
loi·​ter ˈlȯit-ər How to pronounce loiter (audio)
1
: to interrupt or delay an errand or a journey with pointless stops
2
a
: to remain in an area for no good reason
b
: to lag behind
loiterer noun

Legal Definition

loiter

intransitive verb
loi·​ter ˈlȯi-tər How to pronounce loiter (audio)
: to remain in or hang around an area for no obvious purpose
specifically : to linger for the purpose of committing a crime
a statute forbidding any person from loitering on school grounds

More from Merriam-Webster on loiter

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