- present participle of loiter.
loitering
Americannoun
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of loitering
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Loitering in the body care aisle of a big box store, hoping someone will arrive to quell the robot’s tone so you can move through the world odor-free, is a uniquely modern humiliation ritual.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
Loitering munitions, which are simpler autonomous weapons that are designed to hover on their own in an area before crashing into a target, have been used in several other conflicts, Ms. Franke said.
From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2021
Loitering has worsened the past couple years, Reason said.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 28, 2018
Loitering in the lobby of Hotel Deco XV is encouraged.
From Washington Post • Jun. 7, 2017
Loitering stablehands eyed her insolently, but Ser Horas Redwyne averted his gaze as she passed, and his brother Hobber pretended not to see her.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
