loitering 1 of 2

adjective

as in lingering

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loitering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of loiter
as in delaying
to move or act slowly don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark

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 loitering
Adjective
Some victim advocates say human trafficking along Figueroa has escalated since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rollback of anti-loitering laws. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Verb
Cheap drones, loitering munitions and widespread battlefield surveillance have made low-altitude operations far riskier for attack helicopters than in previous conflicts. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026 There’s just a better version lurking inside, one that could’ve elevated the action-chase genre instead of merely loitering there. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026 On a recent commute to the Allure office, commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann picked up a new base routine from Laura Mercier and rediscovered the joys of loitering in a Sephora. — Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 1 July 2026 On one particular muggy day, there had been only a few young men loitering outside before their swim. — Literary Hub, 3 June 2026 The goal is to reduce crime and loitering at stations through this initiative. — City News Service, Daily News, 29 May 2026 Mike MacLennan’s idea of market research as the CEO of a drive-thru AI company is loitering at Burger King. — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 26 May 2026 Fans loitering just outside the barricade started to sense something was changing. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026 This year’s flights encircle the country and include loitering patterns, those in 2025 appear to just pass by, Ian Petchenik of Flightradrar24 told USA TODAY. — Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loitering
  1. lingering
  2. delaying
  3. lethargic
  4. crawling
  5. inactive
  6. poking
  7. inert
  8. dragging
Adjective
  • No more distractions, no more lingering questions, just a baller who loves this sport and continues to level up.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Although the treatment significantly reduced the cancer, follow-up exams showed lingering traces of the disease.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • At the same time, borrowers are reporting increasing problems and errors that are delaying or derailing their ability to maintain access to affordable repayment plan programs and student loan forgiveness.
    — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • State lawmakers argued that schools should not be delaying reporting AI nudes until their own probes end but rather should be required to promptly tip off police, who are better positioned to investigate the crimes.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Definition of delaying
Adjective
  • If your dog is stumbling, lethargic, vomiting, collapses or is unresponsive, contact a vet immediately while working to cool down your dog.
    — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 July 2026
  • Signs of heat stroke in dogs include heavy panting and drooling, being weak or lethargic, bright red gums and bloodshot eyes.
    — Renee Anderson, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Definition of lethargic
Verb
  • They’re wrapped around thumbnails, crawling up ring fingernails, and shining with 3D dewdrops.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 27 July 2026
  • Fort Hood, Texas, one of the Army's largest bases, has closed one of its dining facilities after a video circulating on X appeared to show dozens of roaches crawling across the walls of the facility's kitchen.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of crawling
Adjective
  • When the district built the dam during the Truman administration, scientists thought the nearby Calaveras Fault was inactive.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • Before he was from20, Kim Raehwan was known simply as Raehwan and the main vocalist of BIGSTAR, a boy band under hitmaker Brave Brothers’ Brave Entertainment agency that slowly fizzled out after years inactive.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of inactive
Verb
  • Instead, her dad looks under the table and sees a jumble of limbs with Chastain’s smiling face poking out at him.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 July 2026
  • This included one of their players poking a finger into the ear of the Belgian penalty-spot protector Diego Moreira, and responding to the reactionary elbow to the tummy by going down, and staying down, on top of the penalty mark.
    — Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of poking
Adjective
  • Instead, the system uses inert helium gas as its main coolant.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
  • The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office responded, and authorities considered whether a bomb squad would be needed before determining the cannonballs were inert.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 July 2026
Definition of inert
Verb
  • This seems especially true if there are hiccups in correct window measurement or ordering, which can lead to long delays and projects dragging on and on.
    — Jason Rueger, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • At Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz County, a lifeguard was captured on video dragging a boy out of the water in a harrowing rescue.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of dragging

Browse Nearby Words

loiterers
loitering
loiters
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Cite this Entry

“Loitering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loitering. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of loitering for Spanish Speakers

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