idle

UK: /ˈaɪd^əl/ US: /ˈaɪdəl/ ,(īd′l)

Inflections of 'idle' (adj):

idler

adj comparative

idlest

adj superlative

Inflections of 'idle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

idles

v 3rd person singular

idling

v pres p

idled

v past

idled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

i•dle /ˈaɪdəl/   adj., i•dler, i•dlest, v., i•dled, i•dling, n. 
adj. 

1. not working or active;
   doing nothing:
   idle machinery; Most of the men were idle during the depression.
2. not filled with activity:
   idle hours.
3. habitually avoiding work;
   lazy:
   She's been idle ever since she came back from college.
4. of no real worth or purpose:
   [usually: before a noun] idle threats.

v. 

5. to pass time doing nothing;
   waste time: [no object]
   They appeared to be idling near the doorway.
   [~ + away + object]
   idled away the afternoon.
   [~ + object + away]
   They idled the afternoon away, playing cards.
6. Automotive, Mechanical Engineering (of a machine or mechanism) to (cause to) operate at a low speed, not connected to a load: [no object]
   The car idled at the red light.
   [~ + object]
   The driver idled his car's engine.
7. to cause to be out of work or unemployed:
   [~ + object] The strike idled many workers.

i•dle•ness, n. [uncountable]
i•dler, n. [countable]
id•ling, adj. [before a noun] :

an engine at idling speed.

i•dly, adv.: 

chatted idly.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

i•dle  (īd′l), adj., i•dler, i•dlest, v. i•dled, i•dling, n. 
adj. 

1. not working or active;
   unemployed;
   doing nothing:
   idle workers.
2. not spent or filled with activity:
   idle hours.
3. not in use or operation;
   not kept busy:
   idle machinery.
4. habitually doing nothing or avoiding work;
   lazy.
5. of no real worth, importance, or significance:
   idle talk.
6. having no basis or reason;
   baseless;
   groundless:
   idle fears.
7. frivolous;
   vain:
   idle pleasures.
8. meaningless;
   senseless:
   idle threats.
9. futile;
   unavailing:
   idle rage.

v.i. 

10. to pass time doing nothing.
11. to move, loiter, or saunter aimlessly:
    to idle along the avenue.
12. Automotive, Mechanical Engineering (of a machine, engine, or mechanism) to operate at a low speed, disengaged from the load.

v.t. 

13. to pass (time) doing nothing (often fol. by away):
    to idle away the afternoon.
14. to cause (a person) to be idle:
    The strike idled many workers.
15. Mechanical Engineering to cause (a machine, engine, or mechanism) to idle:
    I waited in the car while idling the engine.

n. 

16. the state or quality of being idle.
17. Automotive, Mechanical Engineering the state of a machine, engine, or mechanism that is idling:
    a cold engine that stalls at idle.

• bef. 900; 1915–20 for def. 12; Middle English, Old English īdel (adjective, adjectival) empty, trifling, vain, useless; cognate with German eitel

i′dle•ness, n. 
i′dly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. sluggish.
  Idle, indolent, lazy, slothful apply to a person who is not active. To be idle is to be inactive or not working at a job. The word is sometimes derogatory, but not always, since one may be relaxing temporarily or may be idle through necessity:
  pleasantly idle on a vacation; to be idle because one is unemployed or because supplies are lacking.
  The indolent person is naturally disposed to avoid exertion:
  indolent and slow in movement; an indolent and contented fisherman.
  The lazy person is averse to exertion or work, and esp. to continued application; the word is usually derogatory:
  too lazy to earn a living; incurably lazy.
  Slothful denotes a reprehensible unwillingness to carry one's share of the burden:
  so slothful as to be a burden on others.
• 5. worthless, trivial, trifling.
• 7. wasteful.
• 11. See loiter. 
• 13. waste.

Antonyms

• 1. busy, industrious.
• 5. important, worthwhile.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

idle / ˈaɪd^əl/ adjective

1. unemployed or unoccupied; inactive
2. not operating or being used
3. (of money) not being used to earn interest or dividends
4. not wanting to work; lazy
5. (usually prenominal) frivolous or trivial: idle pleasures
6. ineffective or powerless; fruitless; vain
7. without basis; unfounded

verb

1. when tr, often followed by away: to waste or pass (time) fruitlessly or inactively
2. (intransitive) (of a shaft, engine, etc) to turn without doing useful work
3. (intransitive) (of an engine) to run at low speed with the transmission disengaged

Etymology: Old English īdel; compare Old High German ītal empty, vain

ˈidleness noun

ˈidly adverb