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
-
As a result of that mismatch, the buyer must issue an enormous slug of new stock to score.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
And now, at last, sperm passes from one slug to the other.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Iran retaliated by firing missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates, an ally of the United States and Israel, including at its energy infrastructure.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
-
The advance could help push battery energy density far beyond the limits of current lithium-ion systems used in most commercial drones.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Thanks to the rubber slip-resistant outsole, these loafers provide great stability, especially on icy and muddy ground in winter and spring.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
11 May 2026
-
George, the birthday boy beside her, stuck to his own slick style, wearing a black polo top, off-white pants with a beige belt, and sand suede loafers.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
9 May 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
-
About 20 races took place at Folsom City Lions Park, with up to nine snails per heat climbing one-foot poles; Mayor Justin Raithel motivated his snail with lettuce and made the semifinals before finishing fourth.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
11 May 2026
-
And cyclists, bus drivers, walkers and the motoring public need to have a head on a swivel paired with the calmness of a snail around such intersections — a lot could be going on.—
Jim Radcliffe,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
A lot of these babies have bum agents that lowball them.—
Zak Cheney-Rice,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
-
History buffs, avid hikers, music lovers, wine aficionados, and beach bums will all find a town to love in the Old Dominion.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
And typically, Wegmann added, those units are occupied by productive, working adults, not layabouts or career criminals leeching off the system, as the old narrative goes.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Mar. 2026
-
In Noah Baumbach’s 2007 movie Margot at the Wedding, Jack Black’s character, a would-be painter, former musician, and general layabout named Malcolm, is accused by his fiancée of being competitive with everyone.—
Ryu Spaeth,
Vulture,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Housing prices and rents are inflated by restrictive zoning laws, union work and pay scale mandates, excessive building codes and environmental requirements, litigation and planning process delays, anti-landlord policies that favor deadbeats and squatters, and the list goes on.—
Adam B. Summers,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Housing prices and rents are inflated by restrictive zoning laws, union work and pay scale mandates, excessive building codes and environmental requirements, litigation and planning process delays, anti-landlord policies that favor deadbeats and squatters, and the list goes on.—
Adam Summers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idler.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idler. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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