loitered

past tense of loiter

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 loitered Other executives, coaches and support staff loitered in the hall, speaking in hushed tones if at all. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 1 May 2026 In the petition filing, Buckingham wrote that Dick had loitered around his and his family members’ homes, called repeatedly and left threatening voicemails, and taped a photo collage of herself and Buckingham to his mailbox. Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026 Stella crossed the street and loitered outside the store window displaying haughty mannequins flaunting swagger coats. Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026 At the start of that brief official visit, his first, five military-grade drones loitered dangerously near Dublin Airport’s busiest civilian flight paths unopposed. Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 30 Dec. 2025 The hotel is a short walk from the Jericho Tavern, where Radiohead played its first gig, in 1986, and around the corner from a now shuttered HMV, in whose aisles Donwood and Yorke once loitered, scouting the competition. Zoe Si, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025 The drones also loitered above an Irish Navy vessel that had secretly deployed for Zelensky's visit. Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2025 There, the crop continued to grow while white-faced ibis and killdeer birds loitered around the water. Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loitered
Verb
  • Even though clouds lingered along the city skyline, the show still went on.
    Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • For years, Howell’s resentment toward his former commander lingered.
    Mark Nevins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, 45% of flights in and out of Chicago O'Hare International Airport were delayed on Tuesday, and 10% were canceled.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Each step introduces friction — points where patients may be delayed, confused, or lost in the process entirely.
    Jeffrey Millstein, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • One of English football’s most historic names had been dragged to the brink under previous owner Dejphon Chansiri last season — into administration and almost beneath the surface.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • No, it’s being dragged by two large straps and rolling along on a quintet of wheels, stuffed with dirty laundry or maybe this week’s groceries.
    Max Berlinger, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Traffic crawled at a creep along Independence Boulevard in those days.
    DJ Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Seven hid under a kitchen chest freezer while five crawled on the wall next to the three-compartment sink.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • In the 2024 playoffs, Carrington poked Fever phenom Caitlin Clark in the eye.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Offering a clever twist, the warm cake is poked with the handle of a wooden spoon, creating space for a vanilla-pineapple pudding to sink deep into the crumb.
    Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Visitors strolled through the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens Saturday morning to kick off Obon Weekend, a traditional Japanese festival honoring the spirits of ancestors.
    Mike Stocker, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt was one of 26 Hall of Famers who strolled through the cornfields and walked to the infield ahead of Thursday’s game.
    Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loitered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loitered. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on loitered

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster