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
Ana Santos Rutschman, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
When a motivated consumer still feels unconvinced, the market is idling in the wrong gear.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 8 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
On the runway, planes sat with engines idling, ground crews making final preparations as if departures could come at any moment — all as the courtroom battle played out hundreds of miles away in Washington.
—Valerie Gonzalez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
There are multiple scenes of him as a younger man walking briskly on city streets, briefcase tucked under an arm – purposeful, directed, not idling or taking in the ambiance around him.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
As for the idea to provide a script to tour buses, LaCava said there are no regulations on tour buses except regarding parking and idling and that the group would need to work with the San Diego Tourism Authority on the proposal.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Before officers arrived, the idling vehicle left her suburban neighborhood.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Power comes from a new hybrid system expected to deliver 37 mpg in combined city/highway driving — a 54% increase from the most efficient version of the 2023 Cherokee, the last model Stellantis built before idling production.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
When a motivated consumer still feels unconvinced, the market is idling in the wrong gear.
—Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 8 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
On the runway, planes sat with engines idling, ground crews making final preparations as if departures could come at any moment — all as the courtroom battle played out hundreds of miles away in Washington.
—Valerie Gonzalez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
There are multiple scenes of him as a younger man walking briskly on city streets, briefcase tucked under an arm – purposeful, directed, not idling or taking in the ambiance around him.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
As for the idea to provide a script to tour buses, LaCava said there are no regulations on tour buses except regarding parking and idling and that the group would need to work with the San Diego Tourism Authority on the proposal.
—Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2025
Before officers arrived, the idling vehicle left her suburban neighborhood.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Power comes from a new hybrid system expected to deliver 37 mpg in combined city/highway driving — a 54% increase from the most efficient version of the 2023 Cherokee, the last model Stellantis built before idling production.
—Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 22 Aug. 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
-
Outdoors, the sprawling grounds are laced with bluestone hardscaping, mature olive trees, tall hedges, and numerous alfresco lounging and entertaining terraces.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Or, package deal together this chair set, umbrella, and gazebo for the ultimate lounging experience.—
Izzy Baskette,
People.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
It is said the bees gathered at the cemetery, resting on the tent over the grave and on the floral displays, returning to their hives after the service concluded.—
Elizabeth Bass Parman,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Thomas dove in and swam with Malibu, popping up simultaneously from the water and resting their extremities — his arms, her fins — on the edge of the pool.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Older research suggests that short intervals of green exercise—particularly low- or moderate-intensity—resulted in self-esteem improvements.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Cianfrance also spent years talking with the real Jeff Manchester from prison in the 15-minute intervals allowed in an effort to do justice to the story, and that level of research pays off.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
6 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
-
While this criticism is overstated, as a lot of his books have bone-chilling finales or thematically rich conclusions, there are certainly a lot of stories where he's failed to land the plane.—
James Grebey,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Ready to dive into the bone-chilling world of The Conjuring?—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Arboretum is most impressive and can be accessed by strolling to the back of the Gardens and exiting a gate, before entering this tree-laden landscape.—
Jeanine Barone,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Shop along Bahnhofstrasse, strolling down Zermatt’s car-free streets and breathing in its pollution-free air.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
6 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 15 Sep. 2025.
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