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
The Economist, 19 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for footle
Verb
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This is something Kang was championing — badass characters who also veg out on the couch without makeup on.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Aug. 2025
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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
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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Fernandes Anderson doled out a $13,000 bonus to one of her Council staffers, a relative but not an immediate family member, on the condition that $7,000 be kicked back to her.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
31 Aug. 2025
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Be sure to check out my weekend streaming guide for all the new TV shows and movies out there to kick back and relax with this Labor Day weekend!—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Marlowe, lounging behind Frizer, grabbed Frizer’s dagger and struck him in the head; Frizer snatched it back and returned the compliment.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Personalized itineraries While some guests are perfectly happy to lounge by the pool or swim in the ocean, others may want to explore.—
Sherrie Nachman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s what was bumming him out.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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To be this close over and over is really bumming me out.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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With its announcement post, however, the social media platform has put those concerns to rest.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
4 Sep. 2025
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Facing a three-run deficit against the Yankees’ rested bullpen, Houston scored six times and struck six hits against four relievers, taking the sort of at-bats that have been missing for so much of their inconsistent second half.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For example, students in Australia led a successful initiative to improve air quality around their schools by having parents cut down on engine idling time.—
Ana Santos Rutschman,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
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When a motivated consumer still feels unconvinced, the market is idling in the wrong gear.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Democrats have accused the administration of trying to make a national example of Dugan to chill judicial opposition to its deportation efforts.—
Scott Bauer,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
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His recipe calls for muddling sweet Sun Gold tomatoes and fresh basil, plus a smidge of salt and sugar until juicy; then stirring in gin, vermouth, and ice until well-chilled.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Footle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/footle. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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