Synonyms for idly
id·ly

Princeton's WordNetRate this synonym:1.0 / 2 votes

1. idly, lazilyadverb

   in an idle manner

   "this is what I always imagined myself doing in the south of France, sitting idly, drinking coffee, watching the people"

   Synonyms:
   lazily

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "idly":

   inactive

Suggested Resources

1. IDLY

   What does IDLY stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the IDLY acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce idly?

How to say idly in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. 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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use idly in a sentence?

1. Rick Santorum:

   As middle America is hollowing out, we can't sit idly by as big government politicians make it harder for our workers and then turn around and blame them for losing jobs overseas. American families don't need another president tied to big government or big money.

2. Nathaniel Hawthorne:

   In youth men are apt to write more wisely than they really know or feel and the remainder of life may be not idly spent in realizing and convincing themselves of the wisdom which they uttered long ago.

3. Kamau Bell:

   I think if I( wasn't) married and had kids, maybe I'd be idly curious but I wouldn't be actively curious because I just feel like whatever history says, I know who I am, if I'm a half of a percent African-American, that's not going to change how I am in the world.

4. Connecticut Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy:

   We cannot sit idly by and do nothing while laws are enacted that will turn back the clock.

5. Peter Clark:

   It's keeping an aircraft alive that's going to compete with Boeing and with Airbus, and I don't think they'll sit idly by.