lazy 1 of 2

lazy

2 of 2

verb

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lazy people
unmotivated people
sluggish people
idle people
slothful people
lazy days
sleepy days
a lazy evaluation
a sloppy evaluation
an imprecise evaluation
a poor evaluation
an insufficient evaluation
an inefficient evaluation
a lazy dog
an inactive dog
a sluggish dog
a lethargic dog
an idle dog
a sleepy dog

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lazy distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words indolent and slothful are common synonyms of lazy. While all three words mean "not easily aroused to activity," lazy suggests a disinclination to work or to take trouble.

take-out foods for lazy cooks

When is it sensible to use indolent instead of lazy?

Although the words indolent and lazy have much in common, indolent suggests a love of ease and a dislike of movement or activity.

the heat made us indolent

When might slothful be a better fit than lazy?

While in some cases nearly identical to lazy, slothful implies a temperamental inability to act promptly or speedily when action or speed is called for.

fired for being slothful about filling orders

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lazy
Adjective
Researchers focused on a group of frogs known as lazy toads that are native to the Himalayas, the study said. Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025 But regarding the bust part that's just lazy journalism. Sam Lee, New York Times, 1 May 2025 Though lazy Susans are better known for their utility on the table, consider getting one for more flexibility and succinct storage space within corner cabinets for whirling out pots and pans. Alex Ronan, Architectural Digest, 22 Apr. 2025 How To Solve Today’s Wordle The Hint: A lazy person. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lazy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lazy
Adjective
  • By adjusting power consumption dynamically, the tool could help reduce unnecessary background activity and extend battery life—especially during idle periods or when apps are not in active use.
    Tahar Rajab, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
  • That's no idle pledge calculated to preserve market share — Keen has been steadily retooling the business for years to protect itself from sudden shifts in global trade and the vagaries of geopolitics.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • Although Hill initially received two tickets for careless driving and not wearing a seat belt, they were dismissed after the officer who cited him didn’t show up to the Miami-Dade traffic hearing.
    C. Isaiah Smalls II, Miami Herald, 15 May 2025
  • Of those fires, 90% were caused by careless human activity, the agency said.
    Caitlin Danaher, CNN Money, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • It is now applied to anyone who has not visited the shower trailer and is desperately trying to bum a cig.
    Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Grant invites Dina on the one-on-one, leaving the rest of the women feeling like this: Even though they’re bummed, the women keep their comments positive.
    Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Carbon monoxide can also cause the victim to become sleepy, lose consciousness, or lose muscle function as the dangerous gas stops oxygen flow to the brain, heart, and other important cells and organs.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2025
  • This sleepy port town, penned in by snowy mountains on one side and endless freezing sea on the other, could have been where Spurs’ European dream died.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 9 May 2025
Adjective
  • My parents were off to a party, my younger brother was in bed, and my older sister had a neglectful attitude toward babysitting me.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Like Fallen Idols, The Carters explores the early dysfunction, trauma, addiction, and neglectful parenting that contributed to each of the Carter children’s issues in adulthood.
    Rachel Brodsky, Time, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Some buildings have already collapsed, while the once picturesque boating lake, where couples could dreamily laze in the summer months, today carries hidden dangers to go with Ukraine’s ongoing war against Russia.
    Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
  • About 73 percent of respondents say that rangefinders capable of lazing targets beyond 1,000 yards align with fair-chase considerations and support their use in hunting.
    Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • When an insecure yet ambitious regime attempts to carry out large-scale social transformation, the indolent bureaucrat makes for an ideal scapegoat.
    Charlie Tyson, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The portrayal of federal workers as lazy and indolent continues to be a central aspect of the president’s plans to slash government employment.
    Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Those beans are soaked overnight before being cooked and blended, placed on trays to chill for another 24 hours or so before other ingredients are added.
    Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • Churn the Ice Cream: Once chilled, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (typically 20-25 minutes).
    Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 12 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lazy. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

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