as in lingering
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as in delaying
to move or act slowly
don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark
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Recent Examples of loitering
Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Both involve Melissa first loitering out over the Caribbean Sea for multiple days this week, churning up seas and bringing nasty weather to islands within the storm’s reach.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
There were times when Drew came home from meetings with the city council, the clinic board of trustees, or even a trial and found Jocko loitering around, kicking his Hacky Sack as part of his never-ending fitness program.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
German and French delegations packed new national pavilions, Polish and Dutch firms demoed loitering munitions and EW suites, and US primes like Lockheed Martin, RTX (Raytheon), and AeroVironment dominated the floor with NASAMS, HIMARS, and unmanned systems.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
Raytheon, for instance, is integrating Shield AI’s software into loitering munitions and working with Anduril on rocket motors.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Both involve Melissa first loitering out over the Caribbean Sea for multiple days this week, churning up seas and bringing nasty weather to islands within the storm’s reach.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
There were times when Drew came home from meetings with the city council, the clinic board of trustees, or even a trial and found Jocko loitering around, kicking his Hacky Sack as part of his never-ending fitness program.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
German and French delegations packed new national pavilions, Polish and Dutch firms demoed loitering munitions and EW suites, and US primes like Lockheed Martin, RTX (Raytheon), and AeroVironment dominated the floor with NASAMS, HIMARS, and unmanned systems.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loitering
Verb
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The overnight storm was likely triggered by a glancing CME arrival that combined with lingering effects from a high-speed solar wind stream, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Indeed, households, especially low-income ones, still face challenges affording basic goods and services due to lingering high prices.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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These cuts mean reducing supply budgets in most departments, delaying the purchase of new math curriculum and Chromebooks, freezing hiring for nonclassroom positions and canceling contract agreements that will not disrupt operations.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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In such cases, delaying treatment may worsen the condition.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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His fur was singed and bitten, his arm broken, and his mouth crawling with maggots.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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Amazon has already taken steps in recent months to prevent external AI agents from crawling its website, including those developed by OpenAI, Google and Meta.—
Ashley Capoot,Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Nov. 2025
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There are also dual Akrapvoic exhausts poking out the rear, framed by slim taillights.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Newcastle instantly responded, with West Ham lethargic, noting that their opponent’s midfield trio of Paqueta, Potts, and Mateus Fernandes had been drawn upfield.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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Some dogs may also destroy items, try to escape, or seem sad and lethargic when left alone.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Apart from being walking-friendly enough for commuting to and from the office, the relatively comfortable heel also gives your denim, maxidresses, and trousers a little lift, keeping hems from dragging.—
Shelby Ying Hyde,
Glamour,
11 Nov. 2025
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Introducing a 50-year mortgage could help individuals and families facing higher borrowing and homeownership costs, but experts warn that any benefit could be easily outweighed by dragging on payments for 20 years longer than the standard 30-year term.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Amazon is stocked with celeb-worthy chocolate and coffee-toned sneakers that blend comfort, support, and style—perfect for sightseeing, airport sprints, or just strolling through new cities.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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This sighting comes six days after Lawrence kicked off her Halloween celebrations early in New York, where she was spotted strolling around in a black witch hat.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In contrast, the north-pole was thought to be geologically inactive.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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The rest, four of which are now inactive, were in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Georgia, Michigan and Indiana.—
Deena Sabry,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loitering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loitering. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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