idles

Definition of idlesnext
present tense third-person singular of idle

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of idles As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield. Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025 Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes. Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025 The high-output Arco Zeus alternator cuts recharge time in half compared to earlier models and can charge the battery bank even while the Sprinter engine idles. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 26 Nov. 2025 The film just idles on the runway. Tim Grierson, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2025 As our car idles, Lucas Nascimento Morgado, a young biologist who works for a jaguar NGO called Onçafari here in the southern Brazilian Pantanal, grins giddily. Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idles
Verb
  • But Koreeda dawdles over all that without ever finding much dramatic nuance, making for a dullish midsection.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
  • But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • And at the counter, where chef and guest are separated by little more than a stretch of the hand, everything rests on precision, presence and the quiet thrill of relinquishing control to the chef’s capable hands.
    Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 10 May 2026
  • And sure, animals such as starfish and flatworms can reproduce by cloning themselves—but at the end of the day, in most species, the survival of animals rests on their mothers.
    Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The new documentary includes footage of this shocking moment, showing Attenborough pressed to the ground as a young gorilla relaxes on top of him, seemingly unbothered by the man in their midst.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 5 May 2026
  • The color forges a deep connection with nature that simultaneously relaxes and energizes.
    Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The footage shows officers carefully opening the bathroom door before the confused bear casually strolls out and heads down the sidewalk to freedom while officers and bystanders scatter out of the way.
    Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
  • House proud, Carnevali strolls out onto one of the six pitches.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Matt Damon plays a Navy admiral in a submarine, who’s getting updates from his team on a terrifying creature in the murky waters.
    Rima Parikh, Vulture, 10 May 2026
  • The only loss in that streak was against The Academy of Central Florida — which plays outside the FHSAA.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • This nifty side table chills beverages for hours while doubling as a convenient spot to set down drinks or snacks.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The current crisis in Iran has sent memories bubbling to the surface for the collective, and chills down the spines of viewers.
    Chloe Shrager, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But the coach never mucks around.
    Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • Critical thinking really bums them out.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Then Jason and Thor shower together, each lathering the other’s back and bums up with fewer orgasms than an old Herbal Essences commercial.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Idles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idles. Accessed 17 May. 2026.

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