loitering

[loi-ter-ing]

noun

1. the act of lingering aimlessly or as if aimlessly in or about a place.

   A cluster of teens gathered in front of the plaza were charged with violating a city bylaw against loitering.

2. the act of moving in a slow, idle manner, with purposeless stops.

   His celebration of loitering as the best form of travel will resonate with anyone who has ever dared toss away a tourist map.

3. the act of wasting time or dawdling over work.

   As film director Jean Renoir notes, “The foundation of all civilization is loitering” because it gives time for creative thinking.

adjective

1. lingering aimlessly, moving slowly and idly, or wasting time.

   Fossil fuels may not remain plentiful long enough to underwrite such a loitering transition to renewable energy.

Other Word Forms

• loiteringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of loitering¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; loiter ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; loiter ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

They stopped people in their vehicles and on the street, sometimes loitering around schools.

From Los Angeles Times

Today, people who live near the power lines complain of dust, litter and loitering, and worry about wires falling in high winds and storms.

From Los Angeles Times

You may find yourself loitering near the kitchen island, pretending to study a hanging pothos while calculating whether it’s worth another scoop.

From Salon

Burbank police officers were dispatched to a Nordstrom Rack on North Victory Place after a report of someone loitering in the women’s department.

From Los Angeles Times

In the days leading up to the attack, Masum was seen "loitering, watching and waiting" in streets around the hostel.

From BBC

Related Words

• easy 
• gradual 
• heavy 
• lackadaisical 
• leisurely 
• lethargic 
• moderate 
• passive 
• quiet 
• reluctant 
• sluggish 
• stagnant