1
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
the car was idle for two weeks while they went on vacation the company's competitors have not been idle in developing rival products
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lazy
not easily aroused to action or work
an idle employee who always seems to be either on break or at lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
she likes to idle during the summer and recharge herself for the fall semester we idled away the evening relaxing around the campfire
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of idle
Baris Saydag, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2025
Evie, who at the start of the book is in the camp of idle, underemployed protagonists that stud much of contemporary fiction, begins to find meaning in her work.
—Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2025
Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idle
Adjective
There’s already an abundant supply sitting idle across thousands of data centers worldwide.
—Baris Saydag, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2025
Evie, who at the start of the book is in the camp of idle, underemployed protagonists that stud much of contemporary fiction, begins to find meaning in her work.
—Lora Kelley, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
On May 20 just before 4 a.m., police responded to the area of Irving Street and Woodland Street after receiving a report of a vehicle idling on the roadside with a driver who was unresponsive, according to Reinert.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2025
Reduce vehicle trips and vehicle idling as much as possible.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idle
Adjective
-
While the field never went entirely dormant, the collapse of dedicated hardware, the brittleness of expert systems, and the failure of national mega-projects combined to bring about the second AI winter.—
Paulo Carvão,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Plants require good moisture to bloom but tolerate drier soils when dormant.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Many students embraced the new technology to enable procrastination and lazy homework habits, but also, sometimes, to gain better understanding of readings.—
Joelle Renstrom
August 28,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
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Wellness programming includes sunrise yoga and sound healing ceremonies; more informally, guests can also enjoy the pristine seaside location and lazy afternoons by the plunge pool.—
Michaela Trimble,
Vogue,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As a fan, I can get bummed out when there’s a huge gap between seasons.—
Seija Rankin,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Aug. 2025
-
Sandler, because of that punim of his, is good at playing bummed, but this scene demanded more shading — anger, charm, cockiness.—
Jesse David Fox,
Vulture,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Interim manager Ray Montgomery agreed that plan made sense, despite the recent number of off days.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
12 Aug. 2025
-
The game was suspended due to rain in the first inning and then completed the following afternoon, which was supposed to be an off day.—
John Perrotto,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Manicured gardens and a dreamy courtyard across 10 acres make the perfect backdrop for croquet and lounging by the estate pool, while rooms feature Juliette balconies, terraces, bold wallpapers, and heirloom furniture.—
Amanda Ogle,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Aug. 2025
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In other images from the set, Kidman posed alongside her sister, natural curls still intact and lounged on a bench wearing a blue and white striped button-down top and white pants, with her natural curls hanging off the side of the bench.—
Starr Bowenbank,
People.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But in recent years, a number of storefronts along Platte have sat vacant where lively watering holes and eateries once stood.—
Sara Rosenthal,
Denver Post,
27 Aug. 2025
-
After years of mismanagement, the hotel stood vacant and was demolished in 2013.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The scaling hypothesis—the belief that bigger models will produce more intelligent outputs—seems to rest on the dubious belief that a system that has been fed enough information about the world will not have to deal with fuzziness.—
Meghan O’Gieblyn,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
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When your morning brew is too hot, your chapter gets interrupted, or the remote needs a home, the best end tables ensure that there’s a nearby place to rest whatever may be filling your hands.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Many travelers overpack underwear for trips, even though most of it goes unused. Travel expert Amanda Parker recommends packing three extra pairs beyond the number of travel days for the perfect balance.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Aug. 2025
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For some employers, this culture of loving time in the office is good news for the bottom line, thanks to more than $65 billion-worth of benefits going unused.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Idle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idle. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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