as in lingers
to move or act slowly
don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loiters
Verb
-
No screens, no distractions—only the kind of presence that lingers long after the vows are spoken.—
Nikita Khanna,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026 -
Measles also lingers in rooms longer than many other diseases, Weber added.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And when the failure drags on long enough, extreme partisanship rushes in to fill it.—
Melissa Derosa,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But the process often drags on for years, with a slim success rate.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ma crawls toward you and plants her palms on your cheeks.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This mistake not only holds up your travel plans, but also delays passengers behind you as TSA officers search through your carry-on.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Under state law, there is a 14-day pre-eviction notice required for nonpayment of rent, which delays the impact.—
Caroline Cummings,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Amazon also strikes a nerve with an ad starring Chris Hemsworth that pokes fun of people’s fears of AI.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Cucurella lands on the rebound and pokes in.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Loiters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loiters. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
