as in to veg out
to spend time doing nothing
spent the morning footling about while others were working
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Recent Examples of footle
Get our daily newsletter Yet Mr Schwarzman avoids footling with life’s foot-soldiers for a reason.
—
The Economist, 19 Sep. 2019
Last year an American startup called Swarm Technologies paid a footling $900,000 fine for sending four tiny satellites into orbit on an Indian rocket, having been denied permission to do so by the US Federal Communications Commission.
—The Economist, 17 July 2019
The Economist, 19 Sep. 2019
Last year an American startup called Swarm Technologies paid a footling $900,000 fine for sending four tiny satellites into orbit on an Indian rocket, having been denied permission to do so by the US Federal Communications Commission.
—The Economist, 17 July 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for footle
Verb
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And while humans tend to veg out on the couch, canines typically only watch for short periods.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
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Making the choice to be social is especially difficult at the end of an exhausting day when your impulse may be to veg out on the couch.—
Allie Volpe,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Verb
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Sizes Tablecloths should hang about 8-16 inches on each side for formal dining and about 3-6 inches on each side for casual dining.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 June 2025
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Most asteroids hang about in the Mars to Jupiter region, and the ones near Earth obviously hang about a bit closer.—
Dana Taylor,
USA TODAY,
2 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Queue up that Academy Award–winning film, kick back in your pool lounger, and press play on an unforgettable time.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
23 July 2025
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There are 57 rooms, three dining venues, a legendary afternoon tea in the Garden Courtyard, and plush lounges where guests can kick back and relax all day.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Wear wide-leg linen pants out to dinner, to the beach, while lounging around the house, or even to the office.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 July 2025
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In our opinion, top-tier attire in this clothing category meets the following criteria: soft and breathable materials and unisex silhouettes that are suitable for sleep, lounging, and even running errands.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
17 July 2025
Verb
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Paired with the gray-ish green color palette, sparse decor, and dark atmospherics in the Institute itself, the bleak vibes may be enough to turn some viewers off for good, especially those horror purists who tune in hoping to be terrified rather than just bummed out.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 July 2025
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In a lot of ways obviously, devastated and bummed out.—
Mike Fitzpatrick,
Baltimore Sun,
5 July 2025
Verb
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In the photo, Spieth and his children's hands can be seen touching the little one, who is resting while wearing a blue onesie with trucks printed on it.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
14 July 2025
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After taking a little extra time to rest up, the three-time Grammy winner kicked off her Las Vegas residency with a bang on Friday night.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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They are also encouraged not to idle in vehicles as exhaust fumes can contribute to air pollution.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
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On air quality alert days, the Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency recommends several ways community members can help reduce ozone formation, including taking the bus or biking instead of driving, not idling vehicles and refueling vehicles after 8 p.m What is the heat index?—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 July 2025
Verb
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After chilling the base, each version develops its distinct personality, with chocolate and cookies for one, and brown sugar and balsamic for the other.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 July 2025
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Tinder match recounts chilling conversation with Kohberger A woman who matched with Kohberger on the dating app Tinder in the fall of 2022 made a tip to authorities in March 2024 and was later interviewed by detectives, according to one of the police reports.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Footle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/footle. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
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