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
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Recent Examples of idling
Anan Bishara, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Avoid excessive idling and do not top off when refueling motor vehicles.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
The majority of the market is idling after a nice run to record highs and ahead of a Fed decision, while some idiosyncratic flows goose the mega-tech stocks and the S & P 500 with them.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
After that, production would temporarily cease with operations idling until October 2025 in order to complete retooling work to prepare the facility for production of the 2026 model year.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Service is also a realistic story about a frustrated middle-aged former journalist and aspiring novelist idling in an ultra-low-paying job.
—Susan Coll
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
The boat was idling when his dog was hit by the blades, Johnson said in the release.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
For example, students in Australia led a successful initiative to improve air quality around their schools by having parents cut down on engine idling time.
—Ana Santos Rutschman, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
Families escaped to calm waters for canoeing, hiking, and long afternoons spent idling on the shore.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
The filtration system must be robust enough to perform under stop-and-go driving, prolonged idling and urban pollution while also remaining effective between filter replacements.
—Anan Bishara, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Avoid excessive idling and do not top off when refueling motor vehicles.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
The majority of the market is idling after a nice run to record highs and ahead of a Fed decision, while some idiosyncratic flows goose the mega-tech stocks and the S & P 500 with them.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
After that, production would temporarily cease with operations idling until October 2025 in order to complete retooling work to prepare the facility for production of the 2026 model year.
—Jackie Charniga, Freep.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Service is also a realistic story about a frustrated middle-aged former journalist and aspiring novelist idling in an ultra-low-paying job.
—Susan Coll
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
The boat was idling when his dog was hit by the blades, Johnson said in the release.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
For example, students in Australia led a successful initiative to improve air quality around their schools by having parents cut down on engine idling time.
—Ana Santos Rutschman, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
Families escaped to calm waters for canoeing, hiking, and long afternoons spent idling on the shore.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idling
Verb
-
Understand the difference between roosts, feeds, and loafing spots.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The most popular beaches for swimming and lounging are dotted with brightly colored umbrellas and chairs, but there are also those that are a bit more remote and undeveloped.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Fall is full of holiday events, busy errands, and our personal favorite, cozy lounging.—
Gabriela Izquierdo,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The team gathered regional body-fat measurements, via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans, and a combination of MRI scans covering structure, network activity (resting-state fMRI) and white-matter wiring (diffusion), from the UK Biobank.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The big question is whether those who follow them will change course, with royalist hopes resting on Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis' generation to usher in a renaissance.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The celestial events happen annually or at other intervals, NASA says.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Expect intervals of clouds and sunshine, but the humidity sticks around.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But in the end, her chilling ode to the beginnings of her romance with Joe Alwyn won out.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Spa lovers can easily spend an entire day at Zenova Spa & Wellness, rotating through water therapies and chilling in the Snow Room (a next-level cryotherapy experience).—
Angela Caraway-Carlton,
Miami Herald,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Images shared on social media ranged from brunches and farmers markets to families strolling downtown, to counter the president’s portrayal.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The autumn months aren’t as crowded as Carnival season, and there is less heat and humidity, which makes strolling around the city even more enjoyable.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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 5 Oct. 2025.
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