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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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
-
Hoppe does not take cognizance of the power of inertia.—
Walter E Block,
Oc Register,
11 Apr. 2025 -
The real challenges lie in operational inertia, fragmented adoption and underutilization of existing tools.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Children growing up in Baltimore neighborhoods pay the cost of inaction daily, where badges inspire fear rather than security.—
Natasha Dartigue,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The issue of how to respond to the Fed’s inaction on cutting rates has appeared to create divisions within the Trump administration.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Some states routinely charge women with child neglect or endangerment for drug use during pregnancy (and even prescription medications have raised alarms).—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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Anderson was arrested and charged with child neglect and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The government insisted that the corn be sold rather than given away (free food would merely reinforce Irish indolence), and those who received it had little idea at first how to cook it.—
Fintan O'Toole,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
-
The idea of Irish indolence fused with a quasi-religious faith in the laws of the market to shape the British response to the famine.—
Fintan O'Toole,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The rescission power fell into disuse under Bill Clinton.—
The Editors,
National Review,
10 Mar. 2025
-
So many mainstream film characters, especially ones assigned to women, act like windup dolls that sputter into disuse when their scenes end.—
Julia Whelan Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Since 2023, the global online shopping cart abandonment rate has held steady at 70.19%.—
Gabriel Shaoolian,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Following the incident, the woman later identified herself and left a voicemail admitting to the abandonment.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Idleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idleness. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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