lazy

American  

[ley-zee] / ˈleɪ zi /

adjective

lazier, laziest

1. tending to avoid work, activity, or exertion.

   She was too lazy to take out the trash, so it just continued to pile up.

   Synonyms:

   slothful

   Antonyms:

   industrious

2. causing or characterized by idleness or inactivity.

   It was a hot, lazy afternoon.

   I’m having a lazy day today, just lounging and watching movies.

3. slow-moving; sluggish.

   a lazy stream.

   Synonyms:

   torpid, stagnant, inert

   Antonyms:

   quick

4. Computers. of or relating to an operator or quantifier in a search query that will return the smallest match result possible.

5. (of a livestock brand) placed on its side instead of upright.

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verb (used without object)

lazied, lazying

1. to pass time in idleness or inactivity; laze.

   They spent the afternoon lazying about on the beach.

lazy British  

/ ˈleɪzɪ /

adjective

1. not inclined to work or exertion

2. conducive to or causing indolence

3. moving in a languid or sluggish manner

   a lazy river

4. (of a brand letter or mark on livestock) shown as lying on its side

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Related Words

See idle.

Other Word Forms

• lazily adverb
• laziness noun
• lazyish adjective

Etymology

Origin of lazy

First recorded in 1540–50; compare Low German lasich “languid, idle”

Example Sentences

Well, I’m a lazy bum as pretty much everyone else is.

From The Wall Street Journal

"But Jadon just wasn't seeing it. He said, 'I ain't apologising because if I do, I'm apologising for being lazy, always being late, not giving my best'."

From BBC

Foreign policy analysts would normally consider distraction to be a lazy and unprofessional explanation for major actions like wars, if not a symptom of paranoid conspiracy thinking.

From Salon

“They were a bit more lazy, knowing they were at the show but not competing.”

From The Wall Street Journal

But it’s easier than ever for a student to get lazy.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• apathetic
• careless
• dull
• inattentive
• indifferent
• lackadaisical
• lethargic
• passive
• sleepy
• tired
• weary