as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention
the assistant's job was to shield the president from such footling problems
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dawdling
to spend time doing nothing
spent the morning footling about while others were working
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of footling
Barton Swaim, WSJ, 21 June 2019
Adjective
By comparison with previous Establishment Clause cases, however, this lawsuit looked footling and rather mean.
—Barton Swaim, WSJ, 21 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for footling
Adjective
-
Weekend warriors trying to enjoy Colorado’s nominal snowpack instead saw temperatures rise to 68 degrees in Breckenridge and 70 degrees west of Vail.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The amount of money campaigns are paying to use Findraiser is nominal, federal campaign finance records show.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Mar. 2023
Adjective
-
Monday and Wednesday have a slight chance of showers, the forecast showed.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Big Blue will have to overcome a slight halftime deficit to avoid a first-round upset.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Within a few moments, an antlerless deer emerged, loafing along toward Ronnie, completely unalarmed.—
Jim Moore,
Outdoor Life,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Then, the pandemic reduced the schedule to 60 games and Eddie got a piddling 37%.—
Star Tribune,
Star Tribune,
3 Dec. 2020
-
Millions of additional claims are expected to stream in from around the country over the coming weeks, while hiring remains piddling.—
Patricia Cohen,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2020
Verb
-
Otherwise, consider the more posh neighborhoods of Chelsea and Kensington—ideal for leisurely days spent browsing boutiques and art galleries or strolling over to Notting Hill for coffee and craft bakeries.—
Katharine Sohn,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Whether you’re headed to a garden wedding or simply strolling the neighborhood on a sunny Sunday, a floral dress is the easiest way to lean into the romance of the season.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kansas’ public officials should avoid the distractions of petty prejudices and focus on representing all their citizens.—
Darren Rosenblum,
Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Joe Cole, late of Peaky Blinders, plays Ethan, a former petty teen gangster from Las Vegas who has decamped to Los Angeles and made an honest man of himself.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Think of children waiting at bus stops as the wind snapped trees, or parents idling in carpool lines as the tornado warning notifications blared on their phones.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
22 Mar. 2026
-
This shuts off the engine at stoplights or when idling, and restarts it once the accelerator is pressed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Footling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/footling. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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