lazy 1 of 2

lazy

2 of 2

verb

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lazy people
unmotivated people
sluggish people
idle people
slothful people
lazy days
sleepy days
a lazy evaluation
a sloppy evaluation
an imprecise evaluation
a poor evaluation
an insufficient evaluation
an inefficient evaluation
a lazy dog
an inactive dog
a sluggish dog
a lethargic dog
an idle dog
a sleepy dog

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lazy distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words indolent and slothful are common synonyms of lazy. While all three words mean "not easily aroused to activity," lazy suggests a disinclination to work or to take trouble.

take-out foods for lazy cooks

When is it sensible to use indolent instead of lazy?

Although the words indolent and lazy have much in common, indolent suggests a love of ease and a dislike of movement or activity.

the heat made us indolent

When might slothful be a better fit than lazy?

While in some cases nearly identical to lazy, slothful implies a temperamental inability to act promptly or speedily when action or speed is called for.

fired for being slothful about filling orders

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 lazy
Adjective
Here are 20 summer essentials that capture that je ne sais quoi, with the most flattering silhouettes for every lazy afternoon and sunset apéritif. Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 Today, this canal is a natural lazy river, at once a testament to the immense history of the land and a relaxing destination to enjoy the unrivaled beauty of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025 The recipe for retro lazy daisy cake dates to the 1930s and was part of the 1942 edition of the Betty Crocker Cook Book of All-Purpose Baking from General Mills. Sheri Castle, Southern Living, 19 July 2025 By the end of the summer, there will be another pool with a zero-entry layout, lazy river, and seven private cabanas. Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for lazy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lazy
Adjective
  • Those with a relationship cash value of less than $250,000 can get 0.15% APY on their idle funds, while the largest accounts – those with $10 million or above in cash balances – can pick up 2.28%.
    Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 22 July 2025
  • The music can sound surpassingly anodyne, built for commercials and idle, low-wattage daydreaming.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 17 July 2025
Adjective
  • Proof Carefully To Show Professionalism And Attention To Detail What gets my negative attention are résumés with careless errors—typos, missing words and inconsistent formatting.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Social media erupted in fear, and disgust, or simply threw shame his way for being careless.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Paired with the gray-ish green color palette, sparse decor, and dark atmospherics in the Institute itself, the bleak vibes may be enough to turn some viewers off for good, especially those horror purists who tune in hoping to be terrified rather than just bummed out.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 July 2025
  • In a lot of ways obviously, devastated and bummed out.
    Mike Fitzpatrick, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • Usyk and Dubois have some work to do to save a pretty sleepy event in London.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
  • At the time, Positano was still a sleepy fishing village.
    Elise Taylor, Vogue, 9 July 2025
Adjective
  • Hinchliffe Stadium originally opened in 1932 and hosted the Negro Leagues’ New York Black Yankees and the American Soccer League’s New Jersey Eagles in the late 1980s before shuttering in 1996 after many neglectful years without maintenance and upkeep.
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • Raised by a neglectful alcoholic father in Buffalo, N.Y.
    Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • The researchers observed that this particular population of orangutans also build slightly simpler nests for daytime naps, in contrast to other groups which frequently just laze on bare branches.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 25 June 2025
  • The 576-square-foot gem is perfect for wading, doing morning laps, or just lazing alongside with a good book.
    Matthew Monagan, Travel + Leisure, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • Screening disproportionately detects indolent tumors—those less likely to be lethal in the first place.
    Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
  • Her tumor appears ominous but is, by nature, indolent—slow-growing, noninvasive, never destined to threaten her life.
    Siddhartha Mukherjee, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • After chilling the base, each version develops its distinct personality, with chocolate and cookies for one, and brown sugar and balsamic for the other.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2025
  • Tinder match recounts chilling conversation with Kohberger A woman who matched with Kohberger on the dating app Tinder in the fall of 2022 made a tip to authorities in March 2024 and was later interviewed by detectives, according to one of the police reports.
    Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 24 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lazy. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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