1
as in dormant
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lazy
not easily aroused to action or work
an idle employee who always seems to be either on break or at lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to lazy
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 idle
Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
But fintech is rewiring that bargain—moving idle cash into interest-bearing havens is now a tap away.
—Christian Catalini, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025
What To Know To help reduce ozone formation, residents are encouraged to avoid idling in drive-thru lanes, and instead consider alternatives like sharing a ride or walking in.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idle
Adjective
Up in the sky, the apartments in the gleaming towers of Billionaires’ Row sit idle while their owners decamp to one of their other homes, thousands of miles away.
—Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
But fintech is rewiring that bargain—moving idle cash into interest-bearing havens is now a tap away.
—Christian Catalini, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Verb
As the livery cab idled in the middle lane, the woman inexplicably stepped out of the vehicle, lost her footing and fell onto the right lane, where she was run over by a passing Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 29-year-old man, cops said.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2025
What To Know To help reduce ozone formation, residents are encouraged to avoid idling in drive-thru lanes, and instead consider alternatives like sharing a ride or walking in.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idle
Adjective
-
Take a cutting a few inches long with several leaves to include a node (that brown bumpy thing which is a dormant growing point where the stem meets the leaf).—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
-
Shingles develops in people who have previously had chicken pox, a virus that remains dormant in the body after acute infections clear up and can be reactivated later in life.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
According to plans that seem about as fluid as a lazy river, this is the last year of the race at Pimlico, as it is currently constructed … or deconstructed.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
-
About The Free Admission Offer The two water parks, Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park are filled with rides, a lazy river, a wave pool, multiple dining options, and more.—
Megan duBois,
Southern Living,
12 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
-
Signs that frozen chicken has gone bad include freezer burn, an off smell or texture, and discoloration.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
-
Winston will be an example of an off the field leader Dart can learn from, which is likely the reason for Winston earning a two-year contract compared to Wilson’s one-year deal.—
Tyler Small,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Expect loafers, sandals, and football boots, all designed to evoke the spirit of travel—whether that’s lounging poolside or exploring city streets.—
Karissa Mitchell,
Essence,
9 May 2025
-
Next, a close-up of a young woman lounging on a beach in a yellow one-piece bathing suit.—
Eugenie Dalland,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
Inside the one-story cinder block building, three state health officials sat along a table at the front of the largely vacant room.—
Margaret Coker,
ProPublica,
14 May 2025
-
Fast forward: After three years, the site remains vacant, fenced and undeveloped.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
Tottenham will likely rest most of their strongest XI, with Villa viewing this as another critical moment in narrowing the gap.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
-
But Lee says the burden shouldn’t rest entirely on employees.—
Alice Park,
Time,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
Unsupervised models offer a scalable way to extract insights from data that would otherwise go unused.—
Christer Holloman,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
-
After more than a week of oil shooting vertically out of an unused well off the coast of Louisiana, the U.S. Coast Guard announced Sunday evening that the offshore well blowout — first reported on April 26 — has been controlled.—
Dan Ruetenik,
CBS News,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idle. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share