1
as in inertia
an inclination not to do work or engage in activities
the brothers' innate idleness meant that neither did much, either inside or outside their ramshackle cabin
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inaction
lack of action or activity
a day spent in idleness is nice, but a month of doing nothing is boring!
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in neglect
lack of use
the idleness of the machine was apparent by its thick layer of dust
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idleness
Noun
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But that inertia may be intensified by how the social-media ecosystem has palpably decayed since the late twenty-tens, and not just because the politics of the platforms have shifted toward Trump.—
Kyle Chayka,
The New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2025 -
Turns out, this journey isn’t about the outcome so much as finding the will to overcome the inertia that holds us in place.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Question whether the risk of inaction is greater than the risk of moving forward.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
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The resolution likely will involve a combination of state help, fare increases and governance changes or consolidation for the various agencies, including the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and the Regional Transportation Authority, but inaction isn’t an option.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Natalia was evicted from the apartment a year later and the couple was hit with accusations of abandonment and several charges related to the neglect of a dependent.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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The Barnetts were charged in 2019 with neglect of a dependent.—
Kalia Richardson,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
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After indulging Sofia’s indolence for the better part of its running time, the movie suddenly supports her newfound sense of independence.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2025
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This is our deliverance from mediocrity and indolence — our greatest national security threat.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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By around 2010, the Cow Palace aged and fell into a state of financial disarray and physical disuse.—
Daniel Brown,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
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And devotion, for the male anglerfish, means gripping on with his teeth to her underside until their bodies fuse together, his eyes fall into disuse, and their bloodstreams become one.—
Carlyn Kranking,
Smithsonian Magazine,
31 Dec. 2024
Noun
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From a geostrategic perspective, Trump’s abandonment of the FCPA is a disastrous decision.—
Richard Nephew,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Feb. 2025
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This second abandonment compounds the damage to U.S. credibility and standing caused by the first.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
21 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Idleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idleness. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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