You are idle to the bone.
Source: tatoeba (9593)
Idle
/ˈaɪd(ə)l/
Synonyms for "idle" (451 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (91)
Adjective(10 words)
abortiveabsurdairyambleamblingasinineasleepat a standstillat anchorat leisureat libertyat loose endsavailablebaselessbe a sidelinerbe stillbootlessbroguebumbum around
Show 47 more words
catchpennycautiouscircumspectclaudicantclaudicatecoastcontemplativecoquetcrawlcrawlingcreepcreepingcreeping like snaildabbledallydally awaydead-stilldelaydeliberatediddlediddle awaydisengageddo nothingdo-nothingdog itdogtrotdormantdragdrag alongdrag outdribble awaydriftdrivel awaydroneeasyemptyfaineantfallowfalteringfatuitousfatuousfiddlefiddle faddlefiddle withfiddle-faddlefidgetfidget with
Noun(9 words)
Verb(5 words)
Strong matches (135)
finger withfixedflaggingfleetflimsyflirtfoolfool aroundfool awayfool withfoolishfoot draggingfoot-draggingfreefribblefribblingfritter awayfrivolfrivolousfrothy
Show 77 more words
fruitlessfustfutilegentlego dead slowgo slowgoldbrickgoof offgradualgroundlesshaltinghanghang aroundhang firehibernatehobblehobbledhobblinghollowhorse aroundidle awayill-foundedimmobileimmotiveinactiveinaneinchinch alongindolentinertinsignificantjerk offjoblessjog-trotkid aroundkillkill timelackadaisicallaissez fairelaissez-allerlaissez-fairelallygaglanguidlanguorouslatentlazelazyleisureleisuredleisurelylethargiclie aroundlie dormantlightlimplimpinglingerlistlessloafloafingloiterloiter aboutloiteringlollloll aroundlollop aroundlollygagloungelounge aroundlumberinglumpenmark timemeaninglessmeditativemess aroundmoderatemonkey
Noun(6 words)
Verb(16 words)
Related words (225)
monkey aroundmoochmooch aroundmoonmoon aroundmoseymotionlessmovelessmuckmuddle awayneuterneutralnot budgenot stirnugaciousnugatoryoffoff dutyoff workopen
Show 161 more words
otioseout of commissionout of employout of harnessout of workparalyticparalyzedpassivepiddlepiss awayplayplay aroundplay withpointlesspokepoke alongpokingpokypotterpotter awayprocrastinatingputterquiescentquietquietistquietisticredundantrelaxrelaxedreluctantreposerestrestingretiredriding at anchorsauntersaunteringsemiretiredsenselessshallowshiftlessshuffle alongshufflingsillysitsit aroundsit backsit it outslacksleepsleepyslenderslightslothfulslouchslouch aroundslowslow as deathslow as molassesslow as slowslow-crawlingslow-footslow-goingslow-leggedslow-movingslow-pacedslow-pokyslow-runningslow-sailingslow-steppedsluggishslumbersmattersmoldersnail-pacedsnaillikesparespeciousstagger alongstaggeringstagnantstagnatestagnatingstandstand aroundstandpatstaticstationarystatuelikestillstock stillstock-stillstrollstrollingsuperficialsupinetake it easytarrytentativetinkertoddletoddle alongtoddlingtortoiseliketottertotter alongtotteringtoytoy withtraipsetrifletrifle awaytriflingtritetrivialtrudgingturtleliketwiddleunavailingunbasedunemployableunemployedunfoundedunfruitfulungroundedunhurriedunimportantunmovedunmovingunoccupiedunproductiveunsupportableunsupportedunsustainableunsustaineduntenableunusedunwarranteduselessvacantvacuousvainvapidvegetablevegetatevegetativevoidwaddlewaddlingwait and seewalkwastewatch and waitwhile awaywindywithout basiswithout foundationworklesswormworm alongworthless
Noun(14 words)
moseyingmost inactivenonproductionpotteringpottersputteringresting capacityshutdownslackingslumberingstandby modetime-wastingunplanted fieldswhiling
Adjective(18 words)
nonoperational hoursnonsignalout of workpointlesspurrromanian pasivitatesedentaryunderusedunexecuted pathunfoundedunoccupied regionunproductiveunspent hoursunutilizedunutilized capacityunwarrantedwildzero-output
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: unused, abortive, absurd, airy, amble.
- Sentence evidence is available for idle, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "idle".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "idle"
Keep "idle" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "idle" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "idle", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "idle" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
9 entriesCollocations
9 entriesidle chatteridle curiosityidle engineidle gossipidle handsidle momentidle threatidle timeidling engine
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
6 entriesAntonyms
3 entriessimilar
20 entriesShowing 16 of 20 words.
Sample sentences
24 total sentences available.
Some boys are diligent, others are idle.
Source: tatoeba (18844)
I spent idle days during the vacation.
Source: tatoeba (19781)
The machines are idle now.
Source: tatoeba (20483)
Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "idle"?
Closest matches include unused, abortive, absurd, airy, amble.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "idle"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.