loaf 1 of 2

verb

Definition of loafnext
as in to bum
to spend time doing nothing the kind of sultry August afternoon that makes you just want to loaf

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loaf

2 of 2

noun

British slang
as in skull

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb loaf differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of loaf are idle, laze, loll, and lounge. While all these words mean "to spend time doing nothing," loaf suggests either resting or wandering about as though there were nothing to do.

she does her work and then loafs the rest of the day

When is idle a more appropriate choice than loaf?

The words idle and loaf can be used in similar contexts, but idle may be used in reference to persons that move lazily or without purpose.

idled the day away

Where would laze be a reasonable alternative to loaf?

Although the words laze and loaf have much in common, laze usually implies the relaxation of a busy person enjoying a vacation or moments of leisure.

lazed about between appointments

When can loll be used instead of loaf?

The words loll and loaf are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, loll also carries an implication of a posture similar to that of lounge, but places greater stress upon an indolent or relaxed attitude.

lolling on the couch

When could lounge be used to replace loaf?

The meanings of lounge and loaf largely overlap; however, lounge, though occasionally used as equal to idle or loaf, typically conveys an additional implication of resting or reclining against a support or of physical comfort and ease in relaxation.

he lounged against the wall

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of loaf
Verb
Some are couch-potato cancers, mostly just loafing around. —Maya Singer, Vogue, 23 July 2024 Matthes, an ecologist who works with Friends of the Koala, grew up naming the koalas that loafed around in her backyard. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 17 June 2024
Noun
Firmly press beef mixture into prepared loaf pan; invert pan onto prepared baking sheet to release meatloaf. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 18 May 2025 For example, a container made for holding a whole loaf of bread will probably not be practical for also holding a half cup of tomato sauce. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for loaf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loaf
  1. bum
  2. skull
  3. rest
  4. gray matter
  5. lounge
  6. intellect
  7. veg out
  8. intelligence
Verb
  • Everyone — from those actually paying to the ones still bumming a log-in — wants to know how Netflix and other streaming services’ crackdowns on password sharing affect them.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 20 May 2025
  • Fans who hoped to see them on the red carpet at last week’s Met Gala were bummed.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 11 May 2025
Definition of bum
Noun
  • Between 1995 and 2013, a skull and bone fragments washed ashore on the beaches of South Jersey, including in Longport, Margate and Ocean City.
    — Alana Wise, NPR, 23 May 2025
  • The report does, however, include the detail that the ball that killed Felix must have been traveling at over 100 miles per hour to cause the skull fracture.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 22 May 2025
Definition of skull
Verb
  • In the first chapter, blue morning light rests over waves crashing against a shoreline, and off into the distance, Yates rides a jet ski, almost comically unbothered by the chop of the sea.
    — Lawrence Burney, Pitchfork, 28 May 2025
  • Airmen laid to rest More than 200 people honored Darrigan on Saturday in Wappingers Falls, some waving flags from the sidewalk during the procession to the church, others saluting him at a graveside ceremony under cloudy skies.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 26 May 2025
Definition of rest
Noun
  • Prior research has indicated caffeine consumption may be associated with acute reductions in gray matter volume.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Feb. 2025
  • One particular question the researchers wanted to answer was whether the influence of caffeine on gray matter was a result of the drug’s effect on sleep, as it has been shown that sleep deprivation or disruption can lead to acute reductions in gray matter.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of gray matter
Verb
  • The group exchanged stories and lounged until 3 a.m. Jordan Collins bought a ticket for storytelling at Jai after hearing about it on Inm’s social media.
    — Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
  • He could also be seen climbing and lounging in trees placed inside his room.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 21 May 2025
Definition of lounge
Noun
  • Along with interactivity, embodied experiences become multi-sensory that bypass the intellect and speak to the heart, connecting facts to emotions and emotions to lasting action.
    — Victoria Bousis, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
  • Season 2 has robbed Ellie of her agency, her rage, her competency, her intellect.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Definition of intellect
Verb
  • And while humans tend to veg out on the couch, canines typically only watch for short periods.
    — Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
  • Making the choice to be social is especially difficult at the end of an exhausting day when your impulse may be to veg out on the couch.
    — Allie Volpe, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Definition of veg out
Noun
  • According to a new assessment from no fewer than 11 countries’ intelligence agencies, the hacker group has been targeting a broad array of technology and logistics firms involved in providing aid to Ukraine.
    — Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 24 May 2025
  • The group is a terrorist organization made up of operatives, spies and intelligence officials from agencies around the world who want to create a new world order.
    — Keith Langston, People.com, 24 May 2025
Definition of intelligence

Browse Nearby Words

load up on
loaf
loafed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Loaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loaf. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on loaf

Nglish: Translation of loaf for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about loaf

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