Synonym Chooser

How is the word loiter different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of loiter are dally, dawdle, delay, lag, and procrastinate. While all these words mean "to move or act slowly so as to fall behind," loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time.

loitered at several store windows
children dawdling on their way home from school

When might dally be a better fit than loiter?

The words dally and loiter can be used in similar contexts, but dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

When is it sensible to use delay instead of loiter?

The meanings of delay and loiter largely overlap; however, delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

When can lag be used instead of loiter?

While the synonyms lag and loiter are close in meaning, lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

When is procrastinate a more appropriate choice than loiter?

The words procrastinate and loiter are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

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 loiter Kavan Markwood, 20, was charged with one misdemeanor count of loitering and prowling at nighttime after he was accused of attempting to gain entry into the home of an ex-girlfriend, CBS News reported, citing Brentwood police. Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025 The ordinance already prohibits loitering at streetcar and bus rapid transit stops. David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 1 Oct. 2025 Advanced defense technology firms are working with Taiwan to expand the island’s access to cutting-edge capabilities, such as loitering munitions, sea mines, unmanned aerial systems, unmanned surface vehicles, unmanned underwater vehicles, and electronic warfare and communications equipment. Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 22 Sep. 2025 The detectives went and wrote a criminal complaint, charging Ruth with stalking and loitering and prowling at night, misdemeanors that did not reflect the seriousness, or danger, of the situation, and got a warrant for his arrest. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for loiter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loiter
Verb
  • Chad Molter, executive director of Boulder’s Harvest of Hope Pantry, is also worried about how the lingering government shutdown could surge demand.
    Elizabeth Hernandez, Denver Post, 16 Oct. 2025
  • After seeing consistent playing time following his February 2024 trade from Memphis and hitting a clutch 3-pointer to help Boston win Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals against Dallas, Tillman tumbled down the depth chart in 2024-25, the result of poor shooting and lingering knee issues.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In recent years, some Wyandotte residents have tried to get the government to delay or cancel its tax sales, which usually happen twice a year, to prevent people who have struggled to pay sky-rocketing property tax bills from losing their family homes.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The continued closure of the Rafah crossing is preventing delivery of equipment needed to find dead hostages and will therefore delay recovery efforts, Hamas said, according to Reuters.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The innovation could pave the way for medical tools that move through the body’s arteries or inspection devices that crawl into complex machinery.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Over three hours, small groups navigate a challenging underground world, scrambling over boulders, belly-crawling through narrow passages, and squeezing through tight spaces to discover hidden marble wonders.
    Heide Brandes, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • My neighbors started poking their heads in the front door, too.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 14 Oct. 2025
  • This bra has wide straps, side-smoothing panels, and an allover stretchy fit — sans wires poking you in the ribcage.
    Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • These robots grow from their tip by turning their skin inside out, a mechanism that enables them to advance without dragging against their surroundings.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • But the movie’s soft-hearted underbelly fails to support that reading, and by the time the story finally arrives at its final moments, the unsparing cynicism that supplied its initial lift has been dragged back down to Earth by the weight of bland truisms.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Head to Harrison Pumpkin Festival to pick out the most gourd-geous pumpkin, or sip on a pumpkin spice latte and stroll through Charm at the Farm's October Market to find the perfect fall decor for the home.
    Caroline Ritzie, Cincinnati Enquirer, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Take time to stroll along the riverfront for some of the best fall scenery in town.
    Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Loiter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loiter. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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