as in lounging
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idling
Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 18 Nov. 2025
Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
So the captain is not going to keep the ship idling while your late-arriving flight is taxiing to the terminal.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Amenities and experiences Most of my afternoons were spent idling at the heated infinity pool, glass of African wine in hand, overlooking the crater.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
But Stanley said the effort was entirely consistent with Patagonia's results-first philosophy — because Walmart is so huge, convincing it to do something as simple as not idling its delivery trucks while they are unloaded has a significant environmental benefit.
—Tony Biasotti, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
At least six other Department of Aviation workers were investigated for spending hours idling on the job, demonstrating incompetence, stealing city property, and lying during the investigation.
—Chris Tye, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Neurobots spend less time idling and more time exploring.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2026
Other steps like keeping tires inflated, using A/C sparingly as needed, using cruise control, avoiding long idling, and servicing your vehicle regularly can also significantly help save fuel, GasBuddy recommends.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Think of children waiting at bus stops as the wind snapped trees, or parents idling in carpool lines as the tornado warning notifications blared on their phones.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Noun
There is no penalty associated with unattended idling in state statute, however, individual municipalities have ordinances in place with fines for the action.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 18 Nov. 2025
Verb
Not included is the price of fuel while idling in line, along with the environmental impact of vehicle pollution.
—Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
So the captain is not going to keep the ship idling while your late-arriving flight is taxiing to the terminal.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 24 Apr. 2026
Amenities and experiences Most of my afternoons were spent idling at the heated infinity pool, glass of African wine in hand, overlooking the crater.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026
But Stanley said the effort was entirely consistent with Patagonia's results-first philosophy — because Walmart is so huge, convincing it to do something as simple as not idling its delivery trucks while they are unloaded has a significant environmental benefit.
—Tony Biasotti, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
At least six other Department of Aviation workers were investigated for spending hours idling on the job, demonstrating incompetence, stealing city property, and lying during the investigation.
—Chris Tye, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Neurobots spend less time idling and more time exploring.
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2026
Other steps like keeping tires inflated, using A/C sparingly as needed, using cruise control, avoiding long idling, and servicing your vehicle regularly can also significantly help save fuel, GasBuddy recommends.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Think of children waiting at bus stops as the wind snapped trees, or parents idling in carpool lines as the tornado warning notifications blared on their phones.
—Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idling
Noun
-
The researchers concluded that at least one of the keys to preventing social loafing is restoring individual responsibility within a group.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The hotel’s slim set of measured, crisp rooms draws a low-key crowd, ranging from honeymooners to city weekenders from Kuala Lumpur, all lounging with the same welcome, unpretentious ease of the hotel itself.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
Dress them down with sneakers and a tank top while running errands or lounging around the house, or dress them up with loafers and a blouse for a day at the office or dinner with friends.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
Sow cilantro seeds at intervals in spring and late summer to provide a continuous supply of tasty foliage followed by the beneficial blooms.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
-
If polyps are removed, the follow-up interval varies depending on the number, size, and type of polyps.—
Holly Burns,
Time,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
An altered Antarctic landscape could have significant impacts on its wildlife, from the microorganisms and algae that prop up the food chain – food for krill which, in turn, feed many of the region’s whales – to the penguins and seals that rely on sea ice for feeding and resting.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
-
The device works with a new health coach within the new Google Health app for iOS and Android and tracks steps, distance, sleep, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, resting heart rate and heart rate variability.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Mar. 2023
Verb
-
The prosecution showed the jurors chilling video and audio evidence that included Athena’s last moments after Horner lured her inside the FedEx van.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 Apr. 2026
-
This comes after the first part of his sentencing phase, where prosecutors showed jurors chilling surveillance footage taken from inside the truck that day, NBC DFW and the Star-Telegram reported.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Just minutes from downtown, Andreas Canyon feels like strolling through an ancient desert oasis.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
-
The high season was over so the scene was fairly quiet, with clusters of tourists who appeared to be from Eastern Europe, and young Albanian couples strolling the beach.—
Ada Calhoun,
Travel + Leisure,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Its clear, shallow waters were pleasant to wade into after lazing under one of the scrubby trees on the sand.—
Lucy Handley,
CNBC,
15 Nov. 2025
-
And poor, engine‑damaging quality or not, the ersatz aviation fuel had to work only once to get a kamikaze plane up and away to hit one of the enemy warships now lazing about in the offing around the Home Islands, often close enough to be spotted from shore with the naked eye.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idling. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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