as in lounged
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
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Recent Examples of idled
Adding to the complexity of the situation, a new California law, SB 237, now requires oil facilities idled for five years or more on January 1 to obtain a permit from the California Coastal Commission before restarting operations.
—
Molly McCrea, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Some unmarked government vehicles idled; others drove around.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
In April, Riyadh and its partners stunned crude traders by rapidly restarting production idled since 2023 despite signs that world markets were comfortably supplied.
—Grant Smith, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
The factory idled operations there in 2023 and 2024.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 6 Dec. 2025
Then there are also those that have idled quietly in the background—neither in nor out of style—waiting on their comeback moment.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
The 49ers idled on Tuesday’s trade deadline, but only after dealing a week earlier for defensive lineman Keion White and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-rounder to New England.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025
But for now, idled IRS workers aren’t applying thumbscrews to taxpayers.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
And in Michigan, Cliffs owns and operates the Tilden Mine near Ishpeming and the adjacent Empire Mine, which has been idled since 2016.
—Jimmy Lovrien, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
Molly McCrea, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Some unmarked government vehicles idled; others drove around.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
In April, Riyadh and its partners stunned crude traders by rapidly restarting production idled since 2023 despite signs that world markets were comfortably supplied.
—Grant Smith, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
The factory idled operations there in 2023 and 2024.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 6 Dec. 2025
Then there are also those that have idled quietly in the background—neither in nor out of style—waiting on their comeback moment.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
The 49ers idled on Tuesday’s trade deadline, but only after dealing a week earlier for defensive lineman Keion White and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-rounder to New England.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025
But for now, idled IRS workers aren’t applying thumbscrews to taxpayers.
—John Seiler, Oc Register, 28 Oct. 2025
And in Michigan, Cliffs owns and operates the Tilden Mine near Ishpeming and the adjacent Empire Mine, which has been idled since 2016.
—Jimmy Lovrien, Twin Cities, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idled
Verb
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In the selfie, Gomez lounged on her sofa with her head in one hand.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
17 Jan. 2026
-
Patrons lounged in a smoky daze; men wearing fedoras played mah-jongg.—
Dennis Zhou,
New Yorker,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The couple strolled past planter boxes filled with flowers and vegetables as the school’s attendance specialist Crismar Guerra De Segnini answered questions from them and the handful of other parents on the tour.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
-
After the models’ finale, Nichanian strolled down the runway as an audience of hundreds of clients, celebrities and editors offered her a five-minute standing ovation.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.—
Thomas Black,
Twin Cities,
21 Dec. 2025
-
Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Although Meta tech chief Andrew Bosworth told media outlets last week that Meta is not halting its VR efforts, the company’s outsized impact on that industry has chilled some developers and sparked fears of a VR winter, CNBC reported.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
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Recent enforcement has chilled site hiring, driving wage inflation where skilled trades command premium wages.—
Brad Hunter,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Further on, sandy-colored cows lazed in the mid-morning sun.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Glenn coach Katina Flournoy-Walker rested the Lee sisters — Libby and Jennah — in the win over Lockhart.—
Butch Hart,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
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Given how easily Liverpool wins in France, perhaps Hugo Ekitike could have been rested there instead of at Bournemouth, for example.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, air conditioners droned, and power cuts followed.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Goldin originally conceived of it as a slideshow timed to songs by The Velvet Underground and Dionne Warwick, played in nightclubs around New York, and eventually, in the Whitney Biennial in 1985.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
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The 33-year old native of the Dominican Republic has played his entire 13-year, big league career in Cleveland.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idled. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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