1
as in inertia
an inclination not to do work or engage in activities
the brothers' innate idleness meant that neither did much, either inside or outside their ramshackle cabin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inaction
lack of action or activity
a day spent in idleness is nice, but a month of doing nothing is boring!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in neglect
lack of use
the idleness of the machine was apparent by its thick layer of dust
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idleness
Noun
-
But that inertia may be intensified by how the social-media ecosystem has palpably decayed since the late twenty-tens, and not just because the politics of the platforms have shifted toward Trump.—
Kyle Chayka,
The New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2025 -
Turns out, this journey isn’t about the outcome so much as finding the will to overcome the inertia that holds us in place.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Question whether the risk of inaction is greater than the risk of moving forward.—
Margie Warrell,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
-
The resolution likely will involve a combination of state help, fare increases and governance changes or consolidation for the various agencies, including the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and the Regional Transportation Authority, but inaction isn’t an option.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Natalia was evicted from the apartment a year later and the couple was hit with accusations of abandonment and several charges related to the neglect of a dependent.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The Barnetts were charged in 2019 with neglect of a dependent.—
Kalia Richardson,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The book is thematically framed by the two extremes of contemporary London: the charmed experiences of the elite, leisured classes in the West End and the extreme poverty and indolence of the East End.—
Sarah C. Schaefer,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
-
African clergy are distinctly firmer than those in the West, perhaps a consequence of the social turmoil on their continent compared to the indolence of Europe and North America.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
So many mainstream film characters, especially ones assigned to women, act like windup dolls that sputter into disuse when their scenes end.—
Julia Whelan Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2025
-
By around 2010, the Cow Palace aged and fell into a state of financial disarray and physical disuse.—
Daniel Brown,
The Athletic,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
From a geostrategic perspective, Trump’s abandonment of the FCPA is a disastrous decision.—
Richard Nephew,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Feb. 2025
-
This second abandonment compounds the damage to U.S. credibility and standing caused by the first.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
21 Feb. 2025
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
“Idleness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idleness. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share