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.
At the disaster sites, hundreds of national guardsmen and police stood idly by clutching their rifles and manning checkpoints, leaving residents to wonder why they weren’t grabbing shovels to help find survivors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Still, the EU is not standing back idly.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
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
Finally Gerald started idly flicking the little red handle.
From "Forged by Fire" by Sharon M. Draper
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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