Thesaurus

idle

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of idle

1 not being in a state of use, activity, or employment

the car was idle for two weeks while they went on vacation

the company's competitors have not been idle in developing rival products

Synonyms of idle

dead, dormant, fallow, free, inactive, inert, inoperative, latent, off, unused, vacant

Words Related to idle

abeyant, arrested, interrupted, suspended

asleep, comatose, lifeless, moribund, quiescent, sleepy

inoperable, unusable, unworkable, useless

Phrases Synonymous with idle

at rest, on the shelf, out of commission

Near Antonyms of idle

functional, operable, operational, workable

assiduous, industrious, sedulous

energetic, vigorous

feasible, practical, usable (also useable), useful, viable

Antonyms of idle

active, alive, busy, employed, functioning, going, living, on, operating, operative, running, working

2 not easily aroused to action or work

an idle employee who always seems to be either on break or at lunch

Synonyms of idle

indolent, lazy, shiftless, slothful

Words Related to idle

apathetic, drowsy, dull, inert, languorous, lazyish, lethargic, listless, quiescent, sleepy, sluggish, supine, torpid

Near Antonyms of idle

ambitious, diligent, enterprising, zealous

active, animated, bouncing, brisk, dynamic, energetic, exuberant, frisky, jaunty, jazzy, lively, peppy, perky, pert, snappy, spirited, sprightly, springy, vigorous, vivacious, zippy

Antonyms of idle

Synonym Discussion of idle

vain, nugatory, otiose, idle, empty, hollow mean being without worth or significance. vain implies either absolute or relative absence of value.

- vain promises

nugatory suggests triviality or insignificance.

- a monarch with nugatory powers

otiose suggests that something serves no purpose and is either an encumbrance or a superfluity.

- a film without a single otiose scene

idle suggests being incapable of worthwhile use or effect.

- idle speculations

empty and hollow suggest a deceiving lack of real substance or soundness or genuineness.

- an empty attempt at reconciliation
- a hollow victory

idle

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of idle

to spend time doing nothing

she likes to idle during the summer and recharge herself for the fall semester

we idled away the evening relaxing around the campfire

Synonyms of idle

bum, chill, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drone, footle, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), hang about [British], kick around, kick back, laze, lazy, loaf, loll, lounge, veg out

Words Related to idle

fiddle (around), fool, mess, monkey, muck, piddle, play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

doze, estivate (also aestivate), hibernate

lag, linger, loiter, poke, relax, rest, tarry

amble, mosey, saunter, stroll, swan

furlough, goldbrick, malinger, truant

Phrases Synonymous with idle

kill time, twiddle one's thumbs

Near Antonyms of idle

drudge, grind, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg, plod, plow, plug, slave, sweat, toil, travail, work

apply, buckle (down)

Synonym Discussion of idle

idle, loaf, lounge, loll, laze mean to spend time doing nothing. idle may be used in reference to persons that move lazily or without purpose.

- idled the day away

loaf suggests either resting or wandering about as though there were nothing to do.

- she does her work and then loafs the rest of the day

lounge, though occasionally used as equal to idle or loaf, typically conveys an additional implication of resting or reclining against a support or of physical comfort and ease in relaxation.

- he lounged against the wall

loll also carries an implication of a posture similar to that of lounge, but places greater stress upon an indolent or relaxed attitude.

- lolling on the couch

laze usually implies the relaxation of a busy person enjoying a vacation or moments of leisure.

- lazed about between appointments

Learn More about idle

See words that rhyme with idle Dictionary: Definition of idle Spanish Central: Translation of idle Nglish: Translation of idle for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of idle for Arabic speakers

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