as in slug
a lazy person
the hot weather turned us into a bunch of idlers
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Recent Examples of idler
His discoveries promise to upset the gaming tables of every school of thought that wagers on new and untested art for idlers’ rewards: the love of novelty, the will to make or unmake reputations, the wish to be hip or au courant.
—
Mark Greif, Harper's Magazine, 26 July 2024
Their name exudes the essence of an idler and slacker, but women’s loafers themselves are quite the opposite.
—Gaby Keiderling, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Jan. 2023
This represents the loss of an idea of what the capital should represent, the removal of a place that was an idler’s haven.
—Anandi Mishra, The Atlantic, 30 July 2022
If the flaneur is an active idler, the badaud is a stationary, passive one, ready to stare open-mouthed at any phenomenon that offers novelty or puzzlement.
—Julian Barnes, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2022
That these dialogues are a joint project of the WEF and the entitled idler next in line to the British throne is another reminder that democracy is no part of the Davos game.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 29 Oct. 2020
Mark Greif, Harper's Magazine, 26 July 2024
Their name exudes the essence of an idler and slacker, but women’s loafers themselves are quite the opposite.
—Gaby Keiderling, Harper's BAZAAR, 19 Jan. 2023
This represents the loss of an idea of what the capital should represent, the removal of a place that was an idler’s haven.
—Anandi Mishra, The Atlantic, 30 July 2022
If the flaneur is an active idler, the badaud is a stationary, passive one, ready to stare open-mouthed at any phenomenon that offers novelty or puzzlement.
—Julian Barnes, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2022
That these dialogues are a joint project of the WEF and the entitled idler next in line to the British throne is another reminder that democracy is no part of the Davos game.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 29 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idler
Noun
-
Attracting certain unwanted pests like snails, slugs, or raccoons.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
7 June 2026
-
Firefly larvae feed on slugs and snails.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Data centers, oil refineries, and shipping lanes are the targets now, and low-cost drones have made striking them cheaper than ever.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
-
Human mission operators were still able to monitor and control the drone boats from an onshore base when needed.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Mahershala Ali and Damson Idris also gravitated toward low-profile loafers on red carpets, while Omar Apollo and Alexander Skarsgård pushed the proportion further in softer, narrower shapes.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
-
And during the warmer months when sneakers and loafers turn into strappy sandals and flip-flops, this is when the relaxed pants game gets really good.—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Scar then proceeds to desolate the kingdom, with the help of hyenas, while Simba, in exile, grows up to become a pleasure-hunting, grub-eating sluggard.—
Anthony Lane,
The New Yorker,
19 July 2019
-
Clearly, supervision at your job is lax, and your sluggard classmate is taking advantage of that.—
Kwame Anthony Appiah,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2017
Noun
-
Hodgson’s field research has revealed that snails have a homing instinct of up to 30 meters (about 100 feet).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Attracting certain unwanted pests like snails, slugs, or raccoons.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
For those caught unaware, the flies will also happily lay eggs in convenient openings such as the nose, mouth, ears, eyes, and even the bum, if available.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
9 June 2026
-
The Kings will inevitably be criticized for making a series of bad decisions and bum deals while Fox, Barnes and Brown grace the game’s grandest stage a year after being cast off under questionable circumstances.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Marlon's Shorty Meeks is in his 25th year of high school, but has made millions as a layabout live-streamer.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 June 2026
-
When layabout postman Jesper gets assigned to the frozen town of Smeerensburg with an ultimatum to process 6,000 letters, a reclusive toymaker might be his only hope.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
To track down her mother, Lila teams up with her deadbeat father for a journey that includes grudge-settling, Russian criminals, and corrupt politicians.—
Diya Chacko,
Oc Register,
18 May 2026
-
Based on a script by Justin Varava that made the 2024 Black List, Turpentine follows a deadbeat son who hires friends to rob his own parents to pay off a bookie, with disastrous results.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idler. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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