idly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He now spends the long hours idly scrolling through his phone or chatting with neighbours.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
Maybe it is plainly shameful to sit idly by, waiting for the police to peel back more layers of abominable detail, so it can be quickly disseminated to a hungry audience.
From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026
“We can no longer sit idly by while our rural communities go without help. They deserve solutions and security, not another decade of inaction and uncertainty.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026
This brings to mind the medieval episode of England’s King Henry II idly importuning some knights to rid him of Archbishop Thomas Becket, only to be surprised when they actually did it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026
She held her crown in her lap and polished it idly on her skirt.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Vocabulary lists containing idly
Bridge to Terabithia
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
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myPerspectives 9.3
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