loiter

verb

loi·​ter ˈlȯi-tər 

loitered; loitering; loiters

intransitive verb

1

: to delay an activity with idle stops and pauses : dawdle

asked him not to loiter on the way home

2

a

: to remain in an area for no obvious reason

teenagers loitering in the parking lot

b

: to lag behind

a crowd of people, who loitered to hear the bloodcurdling threats the prisoner shouted

—Willa Cather

loiter noun

loiterer

ˈlȯi-tər-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• crawl
• creep
• dally
• dawdle
• delay
• diddle
• dillydally
• drag
• lag
• linger
• lollygag
• lallygag
• mope
• poke
• shilly-shally
• tarry

Choose the Right Synonym for loiter

delay, procrastinate, lag, loiter, dawdle, dally mean to move or act slowly so as to fall behind.

delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time.

loitered at several store windows

children dawdling on their way home from school

dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

Examples of loiter in a Sentence

Loitering is prohibited outside the theaters.

don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark

Recent Examples on the Web

The rehab of the existing structure will add a new roof and windows, as well as an internal courtyard, which could offer an alternative to loitering on the sidewalk. —Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 24 Nov. 2024

Phoenix police officers had been called because a White man was loitering at a convenience store on Aug. 19. —Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 17 Oct. 2024

At the Aspen end, consider lodging at the Limelight, with its huge lobby complete with fireplace for guests and their friends to loiter at their leisure, the magnificent mountains in sight. —Josh Max, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024

Also known as loitering munitions, such weapons have been widely used in the war in Ukraine as well as in the Middle East. —Reuters, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

loiter

verb

loi·​ter ˈlȯit-ər 

1

: to interrupt or delay an errand or a journey with pointless stops

2

a

: to remain in an area for no good reason

b

: to lag behind

loiterer noun

Legal Definition

loiter

intransitive verb

loi·​ter ˈlȯi-tər 

: to remain in or hang around an area for no obvious purpose

specifically : to linger for the purpose of committing a crime

a statute forbidding any person from loitering on school grounds