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
The new Community Response Team will respond to homeless encampments, loitering concerns and cleanup efforts, with the goal of making downtown cleaner and safer while allowing police officers to focus more on patrols and crime. — Brady Halbleib, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026 The guns were originally designed for sea duty but were adapted for land use in 2023 to deal with drones and loitering munitions that can circle about looking for targets. — New Atlas, 8 Nov. 2026 The system features a 30 mm automatic cannon, supported by sensors and a fire control system designed to engage aerial threats such as drones, helicopters and loitering munitions. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026 The rock kids, the funk kids, the disco-ers, the club rats are all fleetingly conjoined by one pair of highly attuned ears loitering on the streets. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 Crowder was charged with one count of loitering with intent to commit a crime in connection with that incident. — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026 At the same time, Iran has reportedly modified another one of its Shahed series of loitering munitions based directly on combat lessons derived from Russia’s war on Ukraine. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 There was late-night noise, people drinking or lingering on the front steps of the residential building, and bar patrons blocking access to the apartment parking entrance and loitering around the nearby DASH bus stop. — Isaac Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 The rocket body has been loitering lazily high above Earth for more than 18 months. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loitering
  1. lingering
  2. delaying
  3. lethargic
  4. crawling
  5. inactive
  6. poking
  7. inert
  8. dragging
Adjective
  • Shohei Ohtani returned to the top of the Dodgers’ lineup Monday after four days off to address lingering aches, as the club effectively pauses its pitching program for the two-way star.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • Californians have kept our end of that bargain, but insurance companies have broken their side of the promise by denying, delaying and underpaying valid claims and dropping coverage.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The tool has been blamed by doctors and patients for delaying necessary care.
    — Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of delaying
Adjective
  • The stars have grown lethargic and limp, with lesions spread across their bodies, their arms falling off or disintegrating.
    — Joseph Ogilvy, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The national committee has faced a host of criticism from other Democrats for its lethargic fundraising, including calls for DNC Chair Ken Martin to step down that have so far gone unheeded.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of lethargic
Verb
  • The Spurs jumped on Buzelis from the first pass of the second half, crawling up into his space and launching quick doubles that left the wing reeling for the remainder of the game.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Insects crawling around three-compartment sink and hand wash sink in kitchen.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of crawling
Adjective
  • That led to tens of thousands of registrations being moved to inactive status, including some belonging to eligible voters.
    — Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The same lure retrieved past inactive bass, however, may pass by many fish without eliciting a strike.
    — Morris Gresham, Outdoor Life, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of inactive
Verb
  • But with just a step to her other side or a shake of her head on stage, the near-auburn shade moves to the forefront, with dimensional pieces of golden blonde poking through.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The smallest of the dogs, a fluffy little white-and-gray thing, is poking out of a red box on the dog keeper’s lap.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of poking
Adjective
  • Play Protect is still disabled, and the inert malware modules are still installed.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 3 Nov. 2026
  • One night before his 29th birthday, Thompson scored twice in 15 seconds in the second period, skating around the Ducks’ inert defense for a breakaway third goal that sent a dozen hats flying onto the Honda Center ice.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of inert
Verb
  • When a 69-year-old doctor refused, security officers forcibly removed him, dragging him down the aisle bloody, concussed, and with a broken nose and missing teeth.
    — Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The clip sees the singer in Hollywood and Paris, dragging a golden skeleton across the city landscapes.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of dragging

Browse Nearby Words

loiterers
loitering
loiters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loitering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loitering. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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