🚽 A urinator ⏳ A time-waster

piddler

9.7

A person who wastes time on small unimportant tasks instead of doing useful work

noun
/ˈpɪd.lər/

Informal

: perdedor de tiempo

Instead of helping with the project, he acted like a piddler and wasted everyone's time.

Examples

He was labeled a piddler for wasting so much time on social media instead of completing his assignments.
Don't be such a piddler and start working!
The manager warned the piddler in the team to focus on important tasks.
She was tired of being called a piddler and decided to become more productive.
My brother is a real piddler when it comes to his homework.
During the meeting, her constant distractions showed she was a true piddler who avoided important discussions.
The teacher told the student not to be a piddler and to focus on his studies instead of daydreaming.

Synonyms

drone

vspiddler

Offensive

43 7.6

A person who works slowly and avoids effort

centres on wasting time on trivial activities rather than merely being slow

slug

vspiddler

Offensive

12 7.0

A person who is lazy and does not want to work

focuses on wasting time on trivial activities rather than simple laziness

do-nothing

vspiddler

Offensive

9 7.0

A person who avoids work and makes little effort

is more specific about wasting time on small unimportant activities rather than doing nothing

waster

vspiddler

Offensive

6 7.2

A person who spends money or time carelessly on unimportant things

narrows this waste to trivial time use instead of productive tasks

loafer

vspiddler

Offensive

5 5.8

A person who avoids work and does very little

is more about spending time on trivial actions instead of useful work

idler

vspiddler

Offensive

2 7.0

A person who avoids work and does very little

differs by focusing on small trivial actions rather than general laziness

goof-off

vspiddler

Informal

2 8.6

A person who avoids work and wastes time

is less about shirking and more about fiddling with small unimportant tasks

futz

vspiddler

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who wastes time and does little work

stresses wasting time on small trivial activities rather than productive work

shirker

vspiddler

1 8.0

A person who avoids work or responsibility, often by making excuses

is less about deliberate avoidance and more about wasting time on small tasks

goldbricker

vspiddler

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who avoids work by pretending to be busy

differs by being about idle, trivial activities rather than feigned busyness to avoid work

diddler

vspiddler

Informal

1 9.9

A person who wastes time and does no real work

is about wasting time on small unimportant tasks instead of useful work

putterer

vspiddler

Informal

1 8.9

A person who spends time doing small, unimportant jobs like fixing things in a garden

is about wasting time on trivial actions instead of doing useful work

dawdler

vspiddler

1 7.1

A person who moves slowly and wastes time

focuses on wasting time on small unimportant tasks rather than work duties

lounger

vspiddler

1 5.8

A person who often rests and does very little

is specifically about passing time on small unimportant tasks instead of work

bludger

vspiddler

Offensive

1 9.9

A person who avoids work and does very little

is about using time on small unimportant tasks rather than avoiding duty outright

lazybones

vspiddler

Offensive

1 7.2

A person who avoids work and prefers to rest

differs by targeting time spent on trivial, unproductive small activities

dallier

vspiddler

1 9.5

A person who wastes time and does not make decisions or take action

focuses on wasting time on small trivial tasks instead of useful work

fritterer

vspiddler

8.9

A person who wastes time or money on unimportant things

is about wasting time on small unimportant tasks instead of useful work

potterer

vspiddler

9.9

A person who spends time doing small, unimportant tasks slowly

is about wasting time on trivial actions instead of doing useful work

dillydallier

vspiddler

Informal

8.6

A person who wastes time by being slow to act or decide

is more about idle, trivial tasks rather than deliberate avoidance of duty

moper

vspiddler

7.9

A person who moves slowly and wanders without purpose

is about occupying time with small trivial tasks instead of useful work

ditcher

vspiddler

Informal

7.2

A person who often misses school or work on purpose

contrasts by focusing on wasting time with small unimportant tasks instead of skipping duty

How Idle

idler

Offensive

2 7.0

slacker

Offensive

33 4.6

piddler

Informal

9.7

procrastinator

8 4.6

dawdler

1 7.1

Surface Forms

piddler singular

piddlers plural

Morphology

piddler = piddle (transparent) = piddle + er

Agentive formation from the verb 'piddle' in its sense 'to waste time', yielding 'a person who piddles (wastes time)'.

Etymology

Piddler also comes from piddle, which can mean 'to waste time' on small, unimportant things (as in the phrase 'piddle around'). So a piddler is someone who wastes time instead of doing useful work.