Synonyms of idling

idling 1 of 2

noun

as in loafing

Related Words

• loafing
• lounging
• interval
• slacking
• interim
• legal holiday
• rest
• intermission
• holy day
• relaxation
• breather
• feast
• respite
• furlough
• liberty
• vacation
• sabbatical
• leave
• holiday
• recess
• hols
• break

idling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of idle

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

• loafing
• lounging
• dawdling
• resting
• lazing
• chilling
• strolling
• droning
• bumming
• relaxing
• playing
• lazying
• lolling
• dillydallying
• poking
• footling
• hanging (around or out)
• killing time
• vegging out
• hacking (around)
• mucking
• kicking back
• dallying
• goofing (off)
• lingering
• messing
• hanging about
• dozing
• loitering
• hibernating
• twiddling one's thumbs
• piddling
• monkeying
• kicking around
• lagging
• trifling
• sauntering
• fooling
• ambling
• estivating
• fiddling (around)
• moseying
• puttering (around)
• pottering (around)
• tarrying
• swanning
• goldbricking
• truanting
• malingering
• furloughing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• working
• laboring
• plowing
• grinding
• sweating
• toiling
• plugging
• hustling
• slaving
• plodding
• humping
• grubbing
• pegging
• applying
• drudging
• buckling (down)
• moiling
• travailing
• exerting
• putting out

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of idling

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

Residents described idling in traffic as roads became jammed with evacuees. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026

Not only that, unnecessary idling isn’t exactly great for your car’s engine. — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026

The researchers used their machine-learning framework to separate the influence of driving behavior from other factors known to affect battery aging, including temperature, state of charge, and periods of idling. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Aug. 2026

Gas shortages have interrupted textile and apparel production across major industrial areas, idling garment lines and raising concerns about whether export orders will ship on time. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026

Rasmussen in 1978 was idling in traffic on Connecticut’s Interstate 84 after acquiring a satellite transponder from RCA, and decided to launch a new network devoted only to sports on a single acre near the small town of Bristol. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

Martinez also warned that longer border waits could hurt commerce and increase pollution from idling vehicles. — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

A couple blocks away there are at least nine police cars, parked, idling. — Sydney Brownstone, NPR, 2 Aug. 2026

Effects of laws against idling In short, anti-idling laws target potentially severe pollution health risks from what is generally a wasteful practice of convenience. — Richard Marcantonio, The Conversation, 31 July 2026