lounge
Americanverb (used without object)
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lounges,
present (3rd person singular)
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lounged,
past participle, past
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lounging
present participle
verb (used with object)
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lounges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
lounged,
past participle, past
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lounging
present participle
noun
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lounges
plural
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a sofa for reclining, sometimes backless, having a headrest at one end.
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a place for sitting, waiting, smoking, etc., especially a large public room, as in a hotel, theater, or air terminal, often with adjoining washrooms.
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a section on a train, plane, or ship having various club or social facilities.
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Archaic. the act or a period of lounging.
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Archaic. a lounging gait.
verb
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(intr; often foll by about or around) to sit, lie, walk, or stand in a relaxed manner
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to pass (time) lazily or idly
noun
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a communal room in a hotel, ship, theatre, etc, used for waiting or relaxing in
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( as modifier )
lounge chair
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a living room in a private house
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Also called: lounge bar, saloon bar. a more expensive bar in a pub or hotel
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an expensive bar, esp in a hotel
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short for cocktail lounge
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a sofa or couch, esp one with a headrest and no back
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the act or an instance of lounging
Synonym Usage
Lounge, loll, laze, and loaf can all be used to mean “to pass time idly.” But lounge implies a leaning or reclining posture, and an experience of comfort, relaxation, and enjoyment: When he was home, he preferred to lounge in his easy chair and watch TV. Loll also conveys a leaning posture: Visitors can loll on the grass in beanbag chairs or loungers. Laze suggests no particular posture, but a relaxed indulgence, as in We spent the summer swimming, surfing, and lazing under the sun, while loaf is sometimes used to convey idle wastefulness: I spent all of Sunday just loafing around the house.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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loungesimple
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loungessimple
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have loungedperfect
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has loungedperfect
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am loungingprogressive
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are loungingprogressive
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is loungingprogressive
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have been loungingperfect progressive
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has been loungingperfect progressive
Past
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loungedsimple
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had loungedperfect
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was loungingprogressive
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were loungingprogressive
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had been loungingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of lounge
First recorded in 1500–10; origin uncertain
Explanation
It's hard to lounge, or recline comfortably, in the lounge, or waiting area, of an airport terminal. Maybe they shouldn't call it a lounge. Lounge comes from the French s'allonger meaning "to lounge about, lie at full length." Whether you're talking about a room with seats in a hotel made for waiting, or a nice comfy sofa, or the act of reclining comfortably, lounge has everything to do with making yourself comfortable in one spot for a while. It also means to hang around in an easy way, the way you might lounge around the poolside area in a luxury hotel.
Vocabulary lists containing lounge
Greetings, World Traveler! — List 1
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30 Great Words from Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
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"The Death of the Hired Man" by Robert Frost
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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.
See Examples For:
A 60-foot lap pool includes a heated spa, and the area is perfectly primed for entertaining with multiple fire features, a built-in barbecue, and lots of space to lounge.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 2, 2026
From its unmarked front door to its low-lit lounge, the Seattle vinyl bar is a subtle, pensive ballad of a place.
From Salon ● Oct. 24, 2026
Due to Argan’s indisposition Mr. Irwin is largely confined to his lounge chair, limiting his ability to display his gift for physical comedy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
Years ago he shrank his own office to enlarge a lounge for a singer-songwriter who needed space to camp out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
When he spies a woman unfolding a lounge chair nearby and starts talking louder, I realize it’s for an audience.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
In Seattle this fall, it trotted out new business-class suites with exclusive lounges and dedicated airport check-in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Now, if we could just get trackers for all these new airport lounges, fancier suites and seatback screens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
It includes three studios, offices, tons of recording equipment, including two grand pianos, lounges, and a kitchen that pointedly lacks a stove.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
In one of several photographs capturing the remarkable informality between them, Chivayo lounges, almost lying, on a sofa beside Mnangagwa, apparently entirely at ease in the president's company.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Others came as work crews from Coxsackie to vacuum and dust the lounges or clean up the filthy rest rooms.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
Godzilla the rescue Sulcata tortoise lounged in a tidy shaded yard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
The normally bustling border crossing of Kasumulu remained noticeably quieter than usual with drivers seen relaxing in the shade of trees, while others played draughts or lounged in the back of their lorries.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2025
“The dogs are absolutely popular,” said Velasquez as Ember, a cheerful yellow Labrador, lounged in the sun at his feet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2025
A few hundred feet away down the Tongva steps, students lounged on a hill under the sun.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
On every street corner people lounged and stared, waiting for something to happen.
From "The Contender" by Robert Lipsyte
Outdoors, a swimming pool anchors the backyard, surrounded by mature trees and multiple areas for lounging, dining, and hosting guests.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 15, 2026
The GIFs of the Owens’ Massachusetts estate, with its cozy fireplaces perfect for pajama lounging, still blow up Tumblr every October.
From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026
Featuring various zones of native vegetation alongside bougainvillea and jacarandas, the park is dotted with generous public seating and has an amphitheater for outdoor events or general lounging.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
On the heels of the death of his longtime mate Jackie, bald eagle Shadow has been perching, singing and lounging at his Big Bear nest with a new companion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
It’s a beautiful day outside, nice and hot, and in spite of everything, we make the most of the weather by lounging on the folding bed in the attic.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
