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.

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

Maddox Batson sits in a swivel chair in a West Hollywood recording studio on a recent evening, spinning idly as his mother and manager go over their plans for the next few days.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

No government would sit idly by as its citizens were subjected to such unfathomable horrors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

Related: My mother is selling my late father’s multimillion-dollar California real-estate portfolio — must I stand idly by?

From MarketWatch • Dec. 10, 2025

I think about Dain’s offer to give me a love mark on my brow and wonder idly if Locke might have one, because, despite everything, I am tempted.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black