IDLY Synonyms: 13 Similar and Opposite Words

idly

adverb

Definition of idly

as in sleepily

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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 idly Leaning on Christos Stylianides’ tasteful trumpet and Jesse Chandler’s flute, the song finds the singer not waiting idly for life to pass by. — David Harris, SPIN, 29 June 2026 Meanwhile, government organizations such as NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) are not sitting idly by. — Govert Schilling, Scientific American, 27 June 2026 Well, Elmo wasn't going to stand idly by and watch his head on a pike get paraded through the streets of New York, and for the USMNT's game against Australia, the little red third-person-talking Muppet picked a side. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026 But that doesn't mean recipients and future recipients should sit idly, either. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for idly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for idly

sleepily

Adverb

The Guayrá was still covered in a thick mist at that early hour, but the man was out in the middle of the square, looking down into the well and thinking sleepily about something.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
The vehicles parked outside Hereford House, a grand Victorian-era building, and a mass of figures emerged sleepily, lugging suitcases and mountains of musical equipment.

— Longreads, Longreads, 5 Mar. 2026

Definition of sleepily

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idling

idly

idol

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“Idly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idly. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of idly

adverb

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