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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in inertia
an inclination not to do work or engage in activities
the brothers' innate idleness meant that neither did much, either inside or outside their ramshackle cabin
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2
as in inaction
lack of action or activity
a day spent in idleness is nice, but a month of doing nothing is boring!
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3
as in neglect
lack of use
the idleness of the machine was apparent by its thick layer of dust
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idle
Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 16 June 2025
These are just 11-on-11 stats compiled by SNY's Connor Hughes, but this says Jaxson Dart isn't coming to work to accept a backup position and sit idle for a year.
—Geoffrey Knox, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025
Forget circling for parking or idling in tight corners—residents drive into a bay, and the system takes over.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for idle
Adjective
Lutnick said the share gives the U.S. president veto power over any decision to relocate U.S. Steel's headquarters, move the company outside the U.S., rename U.S. Steel, transfer production or jobs outside the U.S., and close or idle plants before certain time frames.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 16 June 2025
These are just 11-on-11 stats compiled by SNY's Connor Hughes, but this says Jaxson Dart isn't coming to work to accept a backup position and sit idle for a year.
—Geoffrey Knox, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025
Verb
Cops responded at 3:56 a.m. to a report that a vehicle was idling by the roadside near the intersection of Woodland and Irving streets, its driver apparently unconscious.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025
Forget circling for parking or idling in tight corners—residents drive into a bay, and the system takes over.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for idle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idle
Adjective
-
Waititi never recommitted to Akira and the project has been dormant ever since.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
27 June 2025
-
The group is currently dormant after Argent suffered a stroke last year that forced him to retire from touring, while White and Grundy have appeared only as special guests since 1997.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
Giant tanks of lazy swimmers sit sandwiched between fields of cows and ponds of striped bass, carefully tended by three generations of the Evans family.—
Kylie Williams,
Miami Herald,
29 June 2025
-
The water park has something for everyone—from high-speed slides and a wave pool to a relaxing lazy river and kid-only water slides.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
The graduate is not only bummed about the sister’s absence.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
25 May 2025
-
Everyone — from those actually paying to the ones still bumming a log-in — wants to know how Netflix and other streaming services’ crackdowns on password sharing affect them.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
Every nation faces inertia, and breaking away from entrenched methods of production is challenging.—
Matthew Putman,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
In the Gilded Age, a century ago, the U.S. was mired in political division and inertia, with absurdly high levels of income inequality and widespread distrust of institutions, especially government.—
Anastasia G Mcateer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
No responsible nation — certainly not one whose very survival is at stake — could choose inaction.—
Laurence Milstein,
Sun Sentinel,
24 June 2025
-
Trump deserves credit for ignoring the voices in Washington who counsel inaction out of an understandable but often paralyzing fear of unintended consequences.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office posted video of Scott Allen Gardner being apprehended on Thursday on charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and child neglect causing great bodily harm.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
20 June 2025
-
London spoke about his case at a press conference earlier this month, where Barbara Fair, the executive director of Stop Solitary CT, referred to him as someone who had experienced medical neglect first-hand within the Department of Correction.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Entering play Thursday, an off day for the Yankees, the reigning American League MVP had the highest average (.361), OPS (1.180), fWAR (6.1) and wRC+ (221) in baseball.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2025
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His hope is two off days — Wednesday’s game and the team’s off-day on Thursday — will put him in position to return to the lineup on Friday in Cincinnati.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
Patio mats can also make the pool more comfortable for lounging, and create a soft base for toddlers or small children to play on.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 June 2025
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While the building is meant as a nod to the land’s agricultural roots, this one is for play rather than work: It’s set up for lounging and dining inside, with a wet bar for mixing up drinks and an outdoor fire pit perfect for making s’mores.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idle. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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