1. (adj)idle the state of an engine or other mechanism that is idling Antonyms: overbusy, toiling, busy, profitable, responsible, at work(p), laboring, occupied, up to, labouring, drudging, active, engaged, supported, tied up(p), serious, employed, run, work
2. (adj)idle not in action or at work Synonyms: groundless, loose, baseless, jobless, out of work, wild, light, dead, unused, unwarranted, unfounded Antonyms: occupied, overbusy, busy, up to, engaged, drudging, tied up(p), serious, employed, toiling, profitable, laboring, active, at work(p), labouring, supported, responsible, work, run
3. (adj)baseless, groundless, idle, unfounded, unwarranted, wild without a basis in reason or fact Synonyms: insupportable, jobless, gaga, raging, violent, untamed, unfounded, unwarrantable, dead, out of work, hazardous, tempestuous, undue, indefensible, godforsaken, dotty, unjustified, uncivilised, uncivilized, waste, baseless, risky, angry, idle, wild, savage, fantastic, barbarian, unjustifiable, crazy, raving mad, unused, groundless, barbaric, furious, light, unwarranted, loose Antonyms: overbusy, occupied, busy, engaged, responsible, employed, active, laboring, labouring, serious, drudging, profitable, supported, tied up(p), at work(p), up to, toiling, run, work
4. (adj)idle, unused not in active use Synonyms: groundless, loose, baseless, jobless, out of work, wild, light, dead, idle, unused, unwarranted, fresh, unfounded Antonyms: up to, labouring, serious, laboring, toiling, active, at work(p), overbusy, occupied, busy, responsible, profitable, drudging, employed, engaged, supported, tied up(p), run, work
5. (adj)idle, light silly or trivial Synonyms: light-headed, lite, wanton, unfounded, jobless, wakeful, faint, lightheaded, low-cal, calorie-free, lightsome, dead, out of work, light-colored, unaccented, weak, easy, promiscuous, abstemious, unclouded, clean, light(a), baseless, clear, idle, wild, tripping, short, scant(p), unused, groundless, sluttish, light, swooning, unwarranted, loose Antonyms: profitable, employed, drudging, laboring, supported, tied up(p), serious, labouring, active, up to, busy, overbusy, at work(p), occupied, toiling, engaged, responsible, work, run
6. (adj)idle, loose lacking a sense of restraint or responsibility Synonyms: wanton, idle, escaped, wild, sluttish, informal, dead, on the loose(p), out of work, easy, unused, liberal, free, jobless, open, lax, loose, unaffixed, groundless, promiscuous, light, slack, unfounded, baseless, at large(p), unwarranted Antonyms: laboring, responsible, active, tied up(p), drudging, profitable, serious, busy, at work(p), occupied, up to, engaged, overbusy, toiling, employed, supported, labouring, work, run
7. (adj)dead, idle not yielding a return Synonyms: dead(a), wild, bushed(p), dead, out of work, unused, jobless, light, idle, deadened, drained, loose, groundless, utter, beat(p), numb(p), dead(p), unfounded, baseless, stagnant, all in(p), unwarranted Antonyms: responsible, employed, at work(p), drudging, labouring, up to, serious, tied up(p), toiling, busy, overbusy, active, profitable, laboring, supported, engaged, occupied, run, work
8. (verb)idle, jobless, out of work not having a job Synonyms: groundless, loose, baseless, jobless, out of work, wild, light, dead, unused, unwarranted, idle, unfounded Antonyms: profitable, engaged, tied up(p), active, toiling, drudging, labouring, overbusy, responsible, at work(p), supported, serious, occupied, employed, busy, laboring, up to, run, work
9. (verb)idle, tick over run disconnected or idle Synonyms: tick over, slug, laze, stagnate, idle Antonyms: busy, supported, at work(p), drudging, responsible, toiling, overbusy, employed, laboring, active, serious, tied up(p), labouring, engaged, occupied, up to, profitable, work, run
10. (verb)idle, laze, slug, stagnate be idle; exist in a changeless situation Synonyms: swig, tick over, slug, laze, stagnate, slog, idle Antonyms: occupied, overbusy, toiling, engaged, at work(p), up to, labouring, profitable, drudging, tied up(p), laboring, employed, responsible, active, serious, busy, supported, run, work
Synonyms, Thesaurus & Antonyms of 'idle'
English Synonyms and Antonyms
1. idle Idle in all uses rests upon its root meaning, as derived from the Anglo-Saxon idel, which signifies vain, empty, useless. Idle thus denotes not primarily the absence of action, but vain action- Synonyms: idle, inactive, inert, slothful, trifling, unoccupied, indolent, lazy, sluggish, unemployed, vacant Antonyms: active, busy, diligent, employed, industrious, occupied, working
Synonyms for idle 
