as in to veg out
to spend time doing nothing
spent the morning footling about while others were working
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Recent Examples of footle
Get our daily newsletter Yet Mr Schwarzman avoids footling with life’s foot-soldiers for a reason.
—
The Economist, 19 Sep. 2019
The Economist, 19 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for footle
Verb
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Just take care of your[self], and veg out.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Jan. 2026
-
This set is damn near professional-wear, with a blazer-style top and contrast piping for those who like to veg out with dignity.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.—
Kristin Braswell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That’s because if a patient can’t pay or an insurer kicks back a claim, a small practice in a rural area can be on the hook for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.—
Caleb Hellerman,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Temperatures are expected to kick back into warmer spring weather Sunday.—
Laura Turbay,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There are more ways than lounging on your couch sipping Arnold Palmers to take it all in.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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From a morning perusing the Louvre to an afternoon lounging at the Luxembourg Garden—plus a day trip to Champagne or a weekend away in Burgundy—these 15 items embrace French chic.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On March 17, a video obtained by TMZ showed LaBeouf in a hotel lobby in Rome, Italy, wearing only his underwear and trying to bum a light for a cigarette.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
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Spring cleaning bumming you out?—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After beating Atlanta last Friday without Jaylen Brown and Charlotte on Sunday without Brown and Derrick White, Boston flopped in a rematch with the Hawks, losing 112-102 without a crew of contributors headlined by a resting Jayson Tatum.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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The project has dragged on for four years, and Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, founder of a farmworker advocacy group called ALAS, said the problem at 555 Kelly rests at the local level.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Oil tankers and other commercial shippers that would normally travel through the narrow Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s southern coast have been idled due to Iran’s threats and attacks.—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
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Neurobots spend less time idling and more time exploring.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Put the bottle in the freezer and wait several hours to fully chill.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Some seeds might require a short period of chilling before being sown.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Footle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/footle. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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