as in delaying
to move or act slowly
don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in lingering
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 loitering
Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Crowder was charged with one count of loitering with intent to commit a crime for the July 22 incident.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Citing people loitering near the Anthony home, mailing them flyers, and unwanted pizza deliveries, the Anthony family moved to a new location.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2025
From loitering munitions used by Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to Turkish Bayraktar drones sold worldwide, unmanned platforms are reshaping airpower strategies.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Hopkins, whose ward includes that block, told the Tribune a crowd of around 50 teens was loitering in the movie theater’s lobby before the shots rang out.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
When these are converted into one-way attack drones, also known as loitering munitions, the result is a seriously expansive single-use item.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
For reasons unknown — maybe the lil’ guy was cursed by a Roma traveler, or became possessed by malevolent spirits previously loitering in a fancy Colorado hotel, or simply hung out too long with an evil clown who lives in the sewer — the automaton’s musical chops causes mayhem and carnage.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025
The mayor’s representatives at Monday’s meeting said many of the migrants have permits to work and will not be loitering around the facility.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Later that year, Iranian-made one-way Shahed-136 loitering munitions operated by Russia began targeting Ukrainian cities and the electricity grid.
—Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Crowder was charged with one count of loitering with intent to commit a crime for the July 22 incident.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Citing people loitering near the Anthony home, mailing them flyers, and unwanted pizza deliveries, the Anthony family moved to a new location.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2025
From loitering munitions used by Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to Turkish Bayraktar drones sold worldwide, unmanned platforms are reshaping airpower strategies.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Hopkins, whose ward includes that block, told the Tribune a crowd of around 50 teens was loitering in the movie theater’s lobby before the shots rang out.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
When these are converted into one-way attack drones, also known as loitering munitions, the result is a seriously expansive single-use item.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
For reasons unknown — maybe the lil’ guy was cursed by a Roma traveler, or became possessed by malevolent spirits previously loitering in a fancy Colorado hotel, or simply hung out too long with an evil clown who lives in the sewer — the automaton’s musical chops causes mayhem and carnage.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025
The mayor’s representatives at Monday’s meeting said many of the migrants have permits to work and will not be loitering around the facility.
—Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loitering
Verb
-
This effortless touchpoint builds trust, catches lingering issues and creates loyal advocates who feel truly valued.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Grove Collaborative recommends starting with wipes to eliminate any lingering gunk.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The long-term effect is a generation carrying debt, stuck in low-wage jobs, and delaying milestones like homeownership or starting families.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Flush-fit door handles fail far more often during side impacts than regular handles, delaying egress or rescue time after a crash.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Her grandkids are crawling into trouble.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The pair is seen crawling through a wildflower field, dancing, and jumping, but also hollering at each other, brandishing knives, and at some point, Lawrence licks a window with zeal.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Gavras, working from a script he co-wrote with Pulitzer-finalist playwright Will Arbery, seems to be poking fun at the vacuous postures of the oligarch class, just as Ruben Östlund and many other filmmakers have in recent years.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
-
New Bayern Munich signing Luis Díaz strolled down the left flank before cutting inside and poking a cross along the six-yard line.—
Joseph O'Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Trailing after two lethargic quarters, the Chiefs gained life when Chargers rookie Omarion Hampton mistakenly ran out of bounds, giving Kansas City one last possession before the end of the half.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Pets with salmonella or listeria infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, vomiting, decreased appetite, fever, and abdominal pain.—
Matt Cannon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Sesame and potato as a combo is, in fact, reminiscent of the days of our collective childhoods, when experimentation looked like dragging Wendy’s fries through a vanilla Frosty.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Samuel cut inside off an excellent lead block by Croskey-Merritt and shed nickel back Dru Phillips’ tackle attempt before dragging linebacker Bobby Okereke with him to the goal line for a touchdown.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Arboretum is most impressive and can be accessed by strolling to the back of the Gardens and exiting a gate, before entering this tree-laden landscape.—
Jeanine Barone,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Shop along Bahnhofstrasse, strolling down Zermatt’s car-free streets and breathing in its pollution-free air.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Larry Borom, Kion Smith and Daniel Brunskill will serve as the backups on the offensive line because Kendall Lamm, who was added two weeks ago, was made one of the seven inactive players.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Frank Crum — Gabriel Sai’vion Jones being inactive is not a surprise despite his strong training camp.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loitering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loitering. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share