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idle

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word idle different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of idle are inactive, inert, passive, and supine. While all these words mean "not engaged in work or activity," idle applies to persons that are not busy or occupied or to their powers or their implements.

workers were idle in the fields

When is inactive a more appropriate choice than idle?

The meanings of inactive and idle largely overlap; however, inactive applies to anyone or anything not in action or in operation or at work.

on inactive status as an astronaut
inactive accounts

When could inert be used to replace idle?

The words inert and idle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, inert as applied to things implies powerlessness to move or to affect other things; as applied to persons it suggests an inherent or habitual indisposition to activity.

inert ingredients in drugs
an inert citizenry

When can passive be used instead of idle?

The words passive and idle can be used in similar contexts, but passive implies immobility or lack of normally expected response to an external force or influence and often suggests deliberate submissiveness or self-control.

passive resistance

When might supine be a better fit than idle?

While in some cases nearly identical to idle, supine applies only to persons and commonly implies abjectness or indolence.

a supine willingness to play the fool

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of idle
Adjective
The expectation is that the senior will be fully healthy following LSU’s idle week. Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 The Rangers were idle and will begin a three-game road series against the New York Mets on Friday night. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
The majority of the market is idling after a nice run to record highs and ahead of a Fed decision, while some idiosyncratic flows goose the mega-tech stocks and the S & P 500 with them. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025 While tour buses idle outside Marina Bay Sands, Haw Par Villa offers a reflective experience that shows a different side of Singapore. Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for idle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idle
Adjective
  • Venezuela has reignited a long-dormant offshore border dispute since the oil discoveries.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Tom Cillo quit his high-school team in the 1980s after getting involved in drugs, then worked 33 years for a city streets and parks department before deciding to chase a long-dormant dream.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Grab one for your own couch to prepare for movie nights and lazy mornings, or stock up to get a head start on holiday shopping.
    Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Sarin Mathews Women’s Sweatpants A comfortable pair of pants is a wardrobe essential for everything from long flights to lazy days at home.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2025
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
Adjective
  • Anderson has been responsible for some of the greatest ones of the 21st century, and even his off titles are pretty good, which makes ranking his work a particular challenge.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
  • But even in his off hours, Boose is still working.
    Audrey Gibbs, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • During an April cruise on MSC World America, passengers lounged in brown and cream chairs in the Yacht Club's Top Sail Lounge while sunlight poured in through floor-to-ceiling windows.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
  • This newly designed, two-story space will celebrate classic California Craftsman design and will be a place for lounging with a good book, relaxing with a glass of wine or admiring the hotel’s Great Hall lobby below.
    Jessica Peralta, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Demand for warehousing, industrial, and micro distribution has increased the value of vacant spaces.
    Kevin Williams, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2025
  • The Reds needed a starter and the Royals had finally addressed their vacant leadoff spot.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Its credibility will rest on who is chosen to serve.
    Vilas Dhar, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The Douglas crew looked rested and relaxed while on vacation over the Thanksgiving break back in 2022.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Organize the contents of the cabinets and drawers and throw away any expired or unused items.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
  • While the 1972 London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution put an end to the legal dumping of unused explosive munitions in the sea, these relics now provide a rich area of study for marine biologists, offering a real-world look at how animals adapt to habitat disturbances.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Idle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idle. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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