loll

1 of 2

verb

ˈläl 

lolled; lolling; lolls

intransitive verb

1

: to hang loosely or laxly : droop

a dog with its tongue lolling out

2

: to act or move in a lax, lazy, or indolent manner : lounge

He lolled around in his pajamas all day.

transitive verb

: to let droop or dangle

lolled his tongue out in contempt

loller

ˈlä-lər 

noun

loll

2 of 2

noun

archaic

: the act of lolling : a relaxed posture

Did you know?

Loll has origins similar to another soothing verb, lull, which means "to cause to rest or sleep." Both probably originated as imitations of the soft sounds people make when resting or trying to soothe someone else to sleep. Loll shares synonyms with a number of l verbs, including loaf, lounge, and laze.

Synonyms

Verb

• droop
• flag
• hang
• sag
• swag
• wilt

Choose the Right Synonym for loll

idle, loaf, lounge, loll, laze mean to spend time doing nothing.

idle may be used in reference to persons that move lazily or without purpose.

idled the day away

loaf suggests either resting or wandering about as though there were nothing to do.

she does her work and then loafs the rest of the day

lounge, though occasionally used as equal to idle or loaf, typically conveys an additional implication of resting or reclining against a support or of physical comfort and ease in relaxation.

he lounged against the wall

loll also carries an implication of a posture similar to that of lounge, but places greater stress upon an indolent or relaxed attitude.

lolling on the couch

laze usually implies the relaxation of a busy person enjoying a vacation or moments of leisure.

lazed about between appointments

Examples of loll in a Sentence

Verb

a dog with its tongue lolling out

Her head was lolling to one side.

She was lolling by the pool.

He lolled about in his pajamas all day.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Within minutes of our boat’s arrival at the Patch, Sharp spotted a sperm whale lolling at the surface, its skin the color of tarnished silver. —Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024

Be on the lookout for sea lions lolling on the rocks, as well as koalas, wallabies, and a host of shorebirds. —Christine Chitnis, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2024

Noun

As a wildlife photographer, such a magical setting, where whales reliably breach and loll about in epic numbers, remains high on the list of my favorite sights in the world. —Crai S. Bower, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Feb. 2024

And what is Christmas, anyway, if not an excuse to take a break from serving up hard ’fits, and just loll about in stained sweatpants until the dawn of the new year? —Emma Specter, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1709, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

loll

verb

ˈläl

1

: to hang or let hang loosely : droop

2

: to recline, lean, or move in a loose or lazy manner : lounge

loll around in the sun