idling 1 of 2

noun

as in loafing

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idling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of idle
as in lounging
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 idling
Noun
There is no penalty associated with unattended idling in state statute, however, individual municipalities have ordinances in place with fines for the action. — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 18 Nov. 2025
Verb
The roar gave way to brooms scraping asphalt, trucks idling and fans comparing videos on their phones. — C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 June 2026 His team closely monitors tire pressure on every bus and keeps a watchful eye on idling times. — CBS News, 2 June 2026 At the same time, the sounds of idling diesel work truck engines have replaced that of dozens of fire trucks that had been stationed there for days. — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 But what is the typical fine amount for idling — and what is idling even considered in New York City? — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 26 May 2026 The problem is that powering up the engines, idling them, and then using their massive power just to trundle around the tarmac is scarcely economical. — David Szondy june 07, New Atlas, 7 June 2026 The second album this year from metalcore pioneers Converge is named for a mysterious, pulsing, low-frequency ambient drone, likened by those who hear it to a diesel engine, an idling airplane, or a kind of inescapable torture. — Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 24 June 2026 Last week's sell-off was triggered on Wednesday by idling – though robust – revenue projections from chipmaker Broadcom and may have been exacerbated by a call from artificial intelligence startup Anthropic for the sector to slow down its pace of advancements . — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idling
  1. loafing
  2. lounging
  3. interval
  4. resting
  5. dawdling
  6. chilling
  7. strolling
  8. lazing
Noun
  • The researchers concluded that at least one of the keys to preventing social loafing is restoring individual responsibility within a group.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of loafing
Verb
  • Unlike during recovery months when high-intensity skiing and snowboarding take precedence, the remainder of the year is much more focused on lounging, pampering and connecting with other guests.
    — Dahvi Shira, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • An old recording studio, still adorned with a grand piano, now exists more as a lounging space.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of lounging
Noun
  • When asked to run similar projections while modeling for factors such as return variability, family income and investor behavior, Morningstar showcases a more subdued picture of financial health for account holders at the same intervals.
    — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • Participants also self-selected their time interval, and outcomes were self-reported, which may introduce participant bias.
    — Allison Forsyth, Health, 30 June 2026
Definition of interval
Verb
  • Testimony in the criminal trial of Johnson County Sheriff Adam King wrapped up its second week with prosecutors resting their case against him.
    — Star-Telegram staff. Produced with AI assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 July 2026
  • Research shows that quality sleep and regular exercise both can benefit heart rate variability as well as resting heart rate in healthy adults.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of resting
Verb
  • Indeed, Ederson has moments where he can be caught dawdling with the ball, hoping for an opening that doesn’t always arrive.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 June 2026
  • Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Definition of dawdling
Verb
  • These can be made into a wafer shape as well by shaping the dough into logs and chilling it before making 1/4-inch-thick slices.
    — Patricia S York, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • Ten days after Guthrie was reported missing, the FBI released chilling doorbell camera images of an armed and masked man outside her home on the morning of her disappearance.
    — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 2 July 2026
Definition of chilling
Verb
  • Toward the end of his first day, Chekhov spotted an officer strolling confidently down the street.
    — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Check out what Northlanders can expect to find while strolling the aisles.
    — Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
Definition of strolling
Verb
  • The sense of just how much there is to do in this part of the world—the length of the scale between lazing and becoming ultra-active—is palpable.
    — Lauren Keith, Robb Report, 30 May 2026
  • Its clear, shallow waters were pleasant to wade into after lazing under one of the scrubby trees on the sand.
    — Lucy Handley, CNBC, 15 Nov. 2025
Definition of lazing

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Cite this Entry

“Idling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idling. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of idling for Spanish Speakers

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