as in idling
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 malingering
Verb
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This shuts off the engine at stoplights or when idling, and restarts it once the accelerator is pressed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026 -
Large traffic volumes have resulted in Chinatown becoming an epicenter of poor air quality due to idling cars.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pass the legislation and stop messing with our circadian rhythms.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
If a co-worker interrupts a research stretch, calmly propose another time to avoid offending them or messing with your pre-set schedule.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Baio says Kassotis has been fooling people for years.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Indeed, depth would only get in the way of the plot, which is primarily concerned with fooling you and fooling you again.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That’s what was bumming him out.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
-
To be this close over and over is really bumming me out.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Fellow City Section member Sylmar (24-12) is playing San Marin (21-13) for the Division V title at noon.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Prior to the start of the current conflict, the IRGC was one of the most powerful organizations in the country, playing a dominant role in both internal domestic security and regional power projection.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Edwards will finish the season with a career low in games played, having already missed four games with a right hamstring strain and a total of six games over three different stretches with a lingering right foot injury.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
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That said, with the Cboe Volatility Index still lingering in the 20s, this is not the time to go heavy.—
Nishant Pant,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the kitchen, Wells grabs a round of dough resting in semolina flour.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Liann and Taylor are like mirror images of one another, each with a bent knee resting on the window and the other foot on the floor.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Within a few moments, an antlerless deer emerged, loafing along toward Ronnie, completely unalarmed.—
Jim Moore,
Outdoor Life,
8 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Malingering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malingering. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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