idler
ˈī-dᵊl-ər 
ˈīd-lər
; idlest
ˈī-dᵊl-əst
ˈīd-ləst
1
: not occupied or employed: such as
a
: having no employment : inactive
idle workers
b
: not turned to normal or appropriate use
idle farmland
c
: not scheduled to compete
the team will be idle tomorrow
2
: lacking worth or basis : vain
idle chatter
idle pleasure
idled; idling
ˈī-dᵊl-iŋ
ˈīd-liŋ
1
: to run at low power and often disconnected usually so that power is not used for useful work
the engine is idling
2
a
: to spend time in idleness
b
: to move idly
1
: to pass in idleness
2
: to cause to idle
3
: to make idle
workers idled by a strike
Synonyms
Adjective
Verb
Examples of idle in a Sentence
Adjective
There has been a lot of idle speculation about what might happen, but no one really knows.
the idle days of summer
Verb
She left the engine idling for a few seconds before she turned it off.
The cars idled in traffic.
A group of boys idled in the doorway.
The factory closed, idling several hundred workers.
Thousands of workers have been idled by the bad economy.
The factory has been idled by the strike.
Recent Examples on the Web
PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
However, it was not passed by the House of Representatives and remains idle.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2024
Leah Carroll, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
The union and company remain at an impasse, and airplane production at factories in the Seattle area and other locations has been idled, depriving Boeing of cash.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for idle 
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Adjective
Cyber Protect offers many options for idle and disk-image backup.
—PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
However, it was not passed by the House of Representatives and remains idle.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
Cargo freighters and cruise ships, for instance, are often unable to connect to a port's electrical grid and must instead idle, relying on their onboard generators powered by massive diesel engines, which can lead to significant emissions and pollution.
—Leah Carroll, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
The union and company remain at an impasse, and airplane production at factories in the Seattle area and other locations has been idled, depriving Boeing of cash.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for idle
Dictionary Entries Near idle
Cite this Entry
“Idle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idle. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
idle
1 of 2 adjective1
: having no worth or basis
idle rumors
idle chatter
2
: not being used or employed
idle workers
idle factories
idle hours
3
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