lazy 1 of 2

Definition of lazynext

lazy

2 of 2

verb

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

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
Though the nights might still be cooler, many here in the South are gearing up for lazy front-porch sitting and festive back-patio soirees. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026 Dennis is an irresponsible pet owner and too lazy to take his dog for obedience training. Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026 Permitting reform is not about aggressive deregulation — that is a lazy excuse. Dan Romito, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026 Spend lazy days pier fishing, shell hunting, dining on iconic, Calabash-style seafood, and savoring spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lazy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lazy
Adjective
  • Instead of leaving those acres idle, the district is pitching solar as a replacement crop.
    Jeff St. John, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • In my experience, if there are no vacuum leaks and the idle speed control motor is functioning properly, many drivability issues on these cars come down to poor electrical grounds.
    Hartford Courant, Hartford Courant, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Bain was cited for careless driving at the time, but the charge was later dropped before Betts’ death.
    Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
  • In May 2024, Kansas City Chiefs team doctor Michael Monaco pleaded guilty to misdemeanor careless driving after fatally striking a man who had gotten out of his car to help the driver of a Chevrolet Equinox that had flipped over in November 2023.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • On March 17, a video obtained by TMZ showed LaBeouf in a hotel lobby in Rome, Italy, wearing only his underwear and trying to bum a light for a cigarette.
    Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Spring cleaning bumming you out?
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Even that session left me enervated and sleepy.
    Betsy Andrews, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2026
  • On this day in 1943, a body was dropped in the ocean near the sleepy shores of Huelva, Spain.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Sid lives in the town of Matakana with her single, sometimes-neglectful alcoholic father Leo (Noah Taylor), who wanted to be a painter but now mows the lawns of rich neighbors and visiting Auckland rich boys occupying the beachfront mansions nearby in Omaha.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Dysfunctional families can look many different ways, but typically are controlling, secretive, neglectful, and uncommunicative.
    Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Instead of setting up a spot on the sand, beachgoers typically pitch their chairs in the shallow clear blue water and laze the day away.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
  • But its proximity to the Arenal Volcano also means plenty of mineral-rich hot springs to laze around in.
    Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Furthermore, there is a risk of overdiagnosis, where the test detects a slow-growing, indolent cancer that would never have caused harm in a person’s lifetime, leading to unnecessary treatments, side effects and psychological burden.
    Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 8 Feb. 2026
  • Every 4:3 shot is framed to maximize the social verticality of the club, and every sequence is edited to evoke the indolent energy of a hot car on a hot summer’s day.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Last week, the prosecution showed the jurors chilling video and audio evidence that included Athena’s last moments after Horner lured her inside the FedEx van.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
  • One roach chilled inside a kitchen reach-in freezer.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lazy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lazy. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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