malingered

verb

past tense of malinger
as in idled
to pretend to be sick or injured in order to avoid doing work Because of his frequent absences, his boss suspected he was malingering.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malingered
  1. idled
  2. messed
  3. fooled
  4. played
  5. lingered
  6. rested
  7. bummed
Verb
  • In August, Silfab briefly idled production and later furloughed some workers because of production material shortages the company said would last three to four weeks.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Others idled at the edge of the firelight while the red lights of a surveillance blimp blinked over the mountains to the east.
    — Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of idled
Verb
  • That book really messed me up in the sense of nothing is promised.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Had a couple calls in here that messed it up a little bit, but that’s the game.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of messed
Verb
  • Chiefs-Seahawks game prediction Don’t be fooled be the records.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026
  • As temperatures drop in the fall, aphids, like other garden pests, are less active, but don’t be fooled by appearances.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of fooled
Verb
  • Husted played college football as a cornerback for the University of Dayton.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026
  • But that doesn’t tell the full story either, as Seattle has played part of the season with backup Drew Lock and hasn’t yet lost by more than three points.
    — Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of played
Verb
  • Moton lingered on the turf for a while, punching the turf in pain and dread, before a cart came out to transport him to the locker room.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
  • But the nearly three dozen residents who still live there say the town is still filled with those who lingered after their deaths.
    — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of lingered
Verb
  • Well-rested after a bye, the unassuming Jones should do very well.
    — Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For almost eight minutes, Daniels’ back rested against the Mercedes-Benz Stadium turf.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of rested
Verb
  • I'mPhaedra Trethan, bummed out to hear one of my favorite baseball announcers has been let go in a round of ESPN layoffs.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 21 July 2026
  • Officer Rory lets Greg go, but the combination of the walk and thinking about his daughter’s predicament has bummed him out.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of bummed
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.

Browse Nearby Words

malinger
malingered
malingerer
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Cite this Entry

“Malingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malingered. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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