idle

Examples

• All

• People often engage in idle chatter about the latest celebrity gossip.

• You know what they say... the devil finds work for idle hands.

  Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)

• And not to be the subject of a lot of idle gossip.

  Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont (2005)

• If anybody tries to tell you that universal peace is just an idle dream...

  Wilson (1944)

• Well, that is nothing but idle gossip, and everyone knows it.

  Fiction book (2001)

• Sir, it is impossible to treat such idle fears with any degree of gravity.

  Academic text (2008)

• "Every second we waste in idle chatter is time lost for our leaders.

  Fiction book (1992)

• And somehow or other, it is the idle report that disturbs us most.

• Surely you haven't listened to idle gossip.

  Gone with the Wind (1939)

• The judge was not one for small talk, hated gossip and idle chitchat, whether written or spoken.

  Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

E

empty

vsidle

351 3.7

Feeling like you have no feelings inside

focuses more on worthlessness or lack of factual grounding rather than emotion

M

meaningless

vsidle

226 5.1

Having no meaning, value, or purpose

adds that the idea can also be unfounded or without basis

P

pointless

vsidle

157 3.5

Not doing anything useful

also highlights senselessness tied to being without real basis

U

unfounded

vsidle

46 5.6

No facts or proof support it

is less formal and also labels ideas as silly or without value

U

unwarranted

vsidle

31 7.0

Not having a good reason or official permission

centres more on being trivial or without real basis than on entitlement

B

baseless

vsidle

29 5.0

Has no facts or good reasons to support it

is similar but also covers trivial or pointless content rather than only evidence

I

inane

vsidle

28 7.5

Very silly and having no real meaning

focuses more on lacking real value or basis than mere silliness

M

mindless

vsidle

23 3.6

Needing very little thought, like simple chores or TV shows

instead stresses trivial or baseless nature rather than low effort

G

groundless

vsidle

8 6.7

Has no facts or good reason to support it

is broader, combining trivial silliness with absence of a real basis

V

vacuous

vsidle

• Formal

5 8.1

Having no real meaning or importance

emphasizes triviality and lack of factual basis as well as emptiness

Antonyms

V

valuable

526 2.5

Very useful and important, for example advice or skills

M

meaningful

327 3.3

Something that has a clear purpose or that is important

S

substantial

7 5.0

About the main, basic part of something

Compounds

I

idle talk

1 5.8

Casual talk about small, unimportant things, often gossip

B

bone-idle

• Offensive

1 9.1

Very lazy and not willing to do any work or help

I

idle words

1 8.0

Words that people say but do not mean

I

idle pulley

• Specialized

7.7

A wheel on a shaft that guides and tightens a belt

I

idle wheel

• Specialized

7.7

A wheel that presses on a belt to guide and keep it tight without powering the belt

How Meaningful

idle

34 5.2

trivial

121 3.9

pointless

157 3.5

worthless

298 3.0

Surface Forms

Etymology