as in lounged
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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Recent Examples of idled
In February 2023, Stellantis idled the assembly plant near Rockford and laid off its last 1,200 workers after halting production of the Cherokee amid dwindling sales.
—
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Staff members watched from the doorway while two white school security SUVs idled nearby.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Adding to the complexity of the situation, a new California law, SB 237, now requires oil facilities idled for five years or more on January 1 to obtain a permit from the California Coastal Commission before restarting operations.
—Molly McCrea, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Some unmarked government vehicles idled; others drove around.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
In April, Riyadh and its partners stunned crude traders by rapidly restarting production idled since 2023 despite signs that world markets were comfortably supplied.
—Grant Smith, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
The factory idled operations there in 2023 and 2024.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 6 Dec. 2025
Then there are also those that have idled quietly in the background—neither in nor out of style—waiting on their comeback moment.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
The 49ers idled on Tuesday’s trade deadline, but only after dealing a week earlier for defensive lineman Keion White and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-rounder to New England.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Staff members watched from the doorway while two white school security SUVs idled nearby.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Adding to the complexity of the situation, a new California law, SB 237, now requires oil facilities idled for five years or more on January 1 to obtain a permit from the California Coastal Commission before restarting operations.
—Molly McCrea, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
Some unmarked government vehicles idled; others drove around.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
In April, Riyadh and its partners stunned crude traders by rapidly restarting production idled since 2023 despite signs that world markets were comfortably supplied.
—Grant Smith, Fortune, 4 Jan. 2026
The factory idled operations there in 2023 and 2024.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 6 Dec. 2025
Then there are also those that have idled quietly in the background—neither in nor out of style—waiting on their comeback moment.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 22 Nov. 2025
The 49ers idled on Tuesday’s trade deadline, but only after dealing a week earlier for defensive lineman Keion White and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-rounder to New England.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idled
Verb
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Over at the three tiers of pools during a late spring weekend visit, couples in stylish swimsuits lounged around the adult’s only pool, groups of friends sipped margs while wading in the main Mother-of-Pearl pool, and kids frolicked in the separate splash pad area.—
Lizbeth Scordo,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
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In a series of photos, Lopez lounged in a strapless lilac number featuring a floor-length skirt that looked as if it were made of flower petals.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Mike Dvorak returned to play the accordion and strolled the event premises while singing about the Cocoa Crawl.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The College was also spotted in episodes 7 and 8 when members of the Ton strolled through the Grand Square and surrounding areas.—
Kayla Keegan,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.—
Thomas Black,
Twin Cities,
21 Dec. 2025
-
Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
For some, romance means rose petals, chilled champagne and magnificent views.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
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The city’s outlook as a global business hub was gloomy a couple of years ago, after a tighter Chinese regulatory environment chilled IPO activity.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Further on, sandy-colored cows lazed in the mid-morning sun.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The death-penalty trial of the man who barged into a nail salon and gunned down a 10-year-old boy during a robbery abruptly ended on Tuesday, after prosecutors rested their case.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
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Pannakara walked in with Aloka, a celebrity in his own right, who rested on a blanket that organizers had placed on the basketball court.—
Tiffany Stanley,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, air conditioners droned, and power cuts followed.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Every one of the NFL’s 32 teams has played a regular-season game outside the United States and is signed up to the league’s Global Markets Program.—
Tom Chitty,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
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Savolainen played a huge role in Finland’s historic run in the 2019 hockey women’s world championship, in which the country made it to the final against the United States who, along with Canada, had previously dominated the competition and its gold medal matches.—
Hannah Ryan,
CNN Money,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idled. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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