as in idling
to spend time doing nothing
the kind of sultry August afternoon that makes you just want to loaf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lounging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in lolling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 loafing
Jim Moore, Outdoor Life, 8 Oct. 2025
She is seen going over the shots planned for the next day and remembering that some loafing around is planned.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2025
Noun
Within a few moments, an antlerless deer emerged, loafing along toward Ronnie, completely unalarmed.
—Jim Moore, Outdoor Life, 8 Oct. 2025
She is seen going over the shots planned for the next day and remembering that some loafing around is planned.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loafing
Verb
-
With sizes ranging from 0 to 20 and four different inseam options (19, 23, 25, and 28 inches), these lightweight and sweat-wicking leggings are perfect for everything from lounging to long workouts, with plenty of space to keep your essentials in easy reach.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The extra-wide, contoured seat and tall backrest make lounging effortless, while the 450-pound weight capacity adds peace of mind.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
At just 5 weeks old and weighing just over 4 pounds, Lilly was lethargic, withdrawn and appeared seriously unwell.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The market is lethargic nationwide, too, with 345,016 sales, down 9% in a year and 18% below average.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
After a few days of snorkeling and beach-lolling, the view from our helicopter transfer to the Miavana resort on the island of Nosy Ankao just off Madagascar’s northeast, painted an alarmingly different picture.—
Chris Schalkx,
Vogue,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Difficulty accelerating, misfiring, shuttering, and rough idling can indicate bad gasoline.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Shopkeepers lightheartedly gossip in rich drawling accents, and pickup trucks make up the majority of the vehicles idling at one of the few stoplights in town.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 Oct. 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
Adjective
-
The Cleveland Browns announced on Sunday, that rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders would be inactive for their Week 8 game against the New England Patriots due to a back injury.—
Anne Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
-
His Royal Highness title has been inactive since 2019.—
Lauryn Overhultz , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Another image showed a photo of two people resting their feet on an outdoor fire pit, overlooking a river.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
-
This risks one dish getting cold or resting too long while the other is cooking.—
Adam Campbell-Schmitt,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Released in 1938 and technically known as Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), the chemically inert, synthetic polymer is most famous for providing impressively nonstick coatings on cookware and other surfaces.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
22 Oct. 2025
-
The success of the The Black Phone 2 bodes well not just for horror, but for original ideas in a production landscape increasingly dominated by reboots, remakes, and adaptations of existing IP — any IP, an even inert children's toy.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loafing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loafing. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share