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
-
All the pieces seem to fit, producing a symphony of contact and occasional crescendo of slug.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The 170-grain slug socked him right between the horns.—
Bob Cary,
Outdoor Life,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The drone attacks investigated by the commission regularly targeted civilian homes and infrastructure such as hospitals, humanitarian distribution points, power facilities and a school, according to the UN report.—
Catherine Nicholls,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
-
To solve the problem, Burukin and his colleagues have developed tethered drones that rise 500 feet high (150 meters), carrying signal repeaters that amplify the weak radio signals to increase their reach.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Its sleek, slim-fit design and elastic waistband make for a fit that’s professional yet comfortable, and its ankle-skimming length is ideal for showing off cute loafers, sneakers, or other fall shoes.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
From sleek loafers to darling Mary Janes and classic ballet silhouettes, comfortable flats are everywhere this fall in both fun prints and statement hues.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Oct. 2025
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
-
Tropical Storm Melissa is meandering through the warm waters of the Caribbean at a snail’s pace, where it’s expected to pick up enough power to develop into a major Category 4 by Tuesday.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But now, conditions are expected to be primed for Tropical Storm Melissa to keep at its snail’s pace.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Bill got his second deer, and hurt his bum knee while packing out the animal.—
Marguerite Reiss,
Outdoor Life,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Cora planned for his players to test the right fielder’s bum elbow — the Red Sox always attack pinstriped vulnerabilities on the basepaths — and sure enough Nick Sogard turned a single into a double in the seventh because Judge can’t throw the ball.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The revolution is in tatters, and DiCaprio’s Bob, once a celebrity rebel, is now a benignly useless substance-using layabout who tries, in his shambling way, to take care of his and Perfidia’s daughter, Willa (played with a no-nonsense radiance by Chase Infiniti).—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
17 Sep. 2025
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Dreux has entrusted Alyssa with delivering Uche’s money before the first of the month—but instead, Alyssa has asked her layabout, freeloading boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) to put the money in Uche’s hands.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The world’s biggest deadbeat has passed the begging bowl again.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Jeremiah is slutting it up with Steven’s colleagues and Taylor’s friends and generally embracing life as a once-and-future deadbeat.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idler. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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