idleness

American  

[ahy-dl-nis] / ˈaɪ dl nɪs /

noun

1. the quality, state, or condition of being lazy, inactive, or idle.

   His lack of interest in the larger world and his consummate idleness were the causes of their dreadful divorce.

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Etymology

Origin of idleness

before 1000; idle ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Explanation

Idleness is a characteristic of being inactive. Your idleness over the summer means you really didn't do much — besides snoozing in a hammock and sipping lemonade. Anything that's not in motion has the quality of idleness, whether it's a car sitting in a parking lot with its motor running or a lazy dog lounging on the couch. This noun is often used to mean laziness, particularly when someone's not doing what they should: "His boss wasn't happy about his idleness at work." You can also use it in a more positive way: "The idleness of lying on the beach all day is my favorite thing ever."

Example Sentences

The internet poses risks beyond idleness and harm to mental health.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

Multiple residents warned of "idleness" among the youth, who face high unemployment.

From Barron's • Nov. 12, 2025

Now under state ownership, productivity is low compared to competitors both in the UK and abroad, not due to idleness but because workers don't have the equipment they need to do their job efficiently.

From BBC • Sep. 13, 2025

Save for a throwaway comment Jada makes about Michael and Jacob coming from money, “Zoomers” acts as if the wealth needed to afford all of this idleness and self-therapizing is a given for young people.

From New York Times • Jan. 26, 2024

The world had caught him; pleasure, covetousness, idleness, and finally also that vice that he had always despised and scorned as the most foolish—acquisitiveness.

From "Siddhartha" by Hermann Hesse