as in lounging
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in lolling
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in idling
to spend time doing nothing
the kind of sultry August afternoon that makes you just want to loaf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Kids who used to run to the field excited to play, suddenly started loafing to the field wearing their crocs with their heads buried in their phones.
—
Joe Kinsey Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.
—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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
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
Martin removed his right fielder for loafing on a ball hit to the outfield.
—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Kids who used to run to the field excited to play, suddenly started loafing to the field wearing their crocs with their heads buried in their phones.
—
Joe Kinsey Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.
—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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
Adjective
-
Wasn’t Messi just standing over there a few seconds earlier, looking downright lethargic?
-
But Beijing has continued promoting key industrial sectors, and with domestic demand still lethargic, Chinese companies have shipped excess supply overseas, often undercutting local producers.
Noun
-
This 1889 Second Empire–style Victorian in the Gold Coast has a spacious roof terrace with a wrought-iron decorative railing, space for alfresco dining and lounging, and lake views.
-
The president also posted a fake image of himself and several of his administration officials in swimsuits, along with an unidentified woman in a bikini lounging in the water.
Verb
-
The roar gave way to brooms scraping asphalt, trucks idling and fans comparing videos on their phones.
-
Last week's sell-off was triggered on Wednesday by idling – though robust – revenue projections from chipmaker Broadcom and may have been exacerbated by a call from artificial intelligence startup Anthropic for the sector to slow down its pace of advancements .
Adjective
-
One inactive domestic cattle case in Zavala County.
-
After remaining inactive for decades, the concept was revived by the Army for the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon demonstration in 2011, eventually forming the basis of today’s operational hypersonic programs, reports Aviation Week.
Noun
-
The pup, named Eba, appeared immune to being rushed and trotted behind at the farthest extent of her leash, tongue lolling, black eyes squinting in the afternoon sun.
-
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.
Verb
-
The sense of just how much there is to do in this part of the world—the length of the scale between lazing and becoming ultra-active—is palpable.
-
Its clear, shallow waters were pleasant to wade into after lazing under one of the scrubby trees on the sand.
Adjective
-
That way for Prosecco would involve creating the bubbles by conducting the second fermentation in an inert stainless-steel tank and releasing it to market much sooner than Champagne.
-
If true, the role of the 1960s hard-selling ‘rabbis’ would seem anachronistic – until the next iteration of studio management turns out to be as inert as its predecessors.
Verb
-
Supports everyday comfort for both resting and extended lounging sessions.
-
But Judd won’t be the only artist at this concert who isn’t resting on their laurels.
Cite this Entry
“Loafing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loafing. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
