loitering 1 of 2

adjective

as in lingering

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

loitering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of loiter
as in delaying
to move or act slowly don't loiter in this neighborhood after dark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 loitering
Adjective
Some victim advocates say human trafficking along Figueroa has escalated since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rollback of anti-loitering laws. — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Verb
The company revealed that both the Containerized Missile Launcher and the FV-014 loitering munition system are in-house developments. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026 At the same time, Iran has reportedly modified another one of its Shahed series of loitering munitions based directly on combat lessons derived from Russia’s war on Ukraine. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 There was late-night noise, people drinking or lingering on the front steps of the residential building, and bar patrons blocking access to the apartment parking entrance and loitering around the nearby DASH bus stop. — Isaac Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026 According to Metro officials, the transit has seen a nearly 60% drop in homeless people loitering over the past two years. — Tom Wait, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 The rocket body has been loitering lazily high above Earth for more than 18 months. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026 The flies also spent far more time loitering outside the plume than inside it, even though nearly all their forward progress toward the source happened during those brief dips into the scent. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026 There’s just a better version lurking inside, one that could’ve elevated the action-chase genre instead of merely loitering there. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026 On a recent commute to the Allure office, commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann picked up a new base routine from Laura Mercier and rediscovered the joys of loitering in a Sephora. — Sarah Hoffmann, Allure, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loitering
  1. lingering
  2. delaying
  3. lethargic
  4. crawling
  5. inactive
  6. poking
  7. inert
  8. dragging
Adjective
  • No more distractions, no more lingering questions, just a baller who loves this sport and continues to level up.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Although the treatment significantly reduced the cancer, follow-up exams showed lingering traces of the disease.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • In that unlikely scenario, the project with LINXS could be terminated and Los Angeles World Airports, which manages LAX, would have to find a new contractor, further delaying the train’s future.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Tampa politicians will likely celebrate by delaying a vote on the Rays’ proposed new stadium by another few months.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of delaying
Adjective
  • Female mice dosed with QACs lost interest in food, became lethargic and short of breath, and began to lose muscle control during late pregnancy.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The expansion to California’s film and TV tax credit program hasn’t notably curbed lethargic production levels in Los Angeles, at least not yet.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026
Definition of lethargic
Verb
  • Nidhi imagined the baby crawling around in her mother’s body, desperately seeking the uterus, and, failing to find it in its proper place, quietly shrivelling up and dying.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • That happened in New York City in 2018, when at least a half dozen city buses were taken out of service after reports of bedbugs crawling on seats.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawling
Adjective
  • Rather, the department says testing is recommended because inactive, or latent, TB often causes no symptoms.
    — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Bazelak got the start when backup Jake Browning was inactive after suffering a back strain in practice against the Jets on Wednesday.
    — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of inactive
Verb
  • But Vicki immediately goes past Meredith Marks (disengaging) to Amanda Frances (opening her laptop and working), even as the others try to earn their paychecks by poking at her.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Milk Stage of Kernels Check the kernels on an ear by poking it with your fingernail.
    — Danielle Ernest, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of poking
Adjective
  • The offense was inert under his direction, recording just one first down in two series.
    — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Creating life anew, breathing life into something that is inert, is fascinating to me.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of inert
Verb
  • Main Street pain Meanwhile, Treasury yields are dragging on Main Street.
    — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Enes Kanter Freedom turned Angel Reese's latest crunch-time miss into fresh ammo Sunday, roasting the Atlanta Dream star while somehow dragging Paul George into his ongoing WNBA campaign.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of dragging

Browse Nearby Words

loiterers
loitering
loiters
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on loitering

Nglish: Translation of loitering for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of rigmarole

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All