loitering

American  

[loi-ter-ing] / ˈlɔɪ tər ɪŋ /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

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adjective

1. lingering aimlessly, moving slowly and idly, or wasting time.

   Fossil fuels may not remain plentiful long enough to underwrite such a loitering transition to renewable energy.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• loiteringly
  adverb

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

Aevex External link is a California-based maker of drones and loitering munitions that recently completed its IPO External link on April 17.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

We just saw crows, loitering on fence posts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The Defense Department last week paid AeroVironment $186 million for the first procurement in a five-year, $990 million contract for its Switchblade loitering missile systems.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

Geyser was found with a man at the truck stop just outside of Chicago - and about 170 miles south of Madison - after police received reports of a man and woman loitering.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

Only fear of discovery and the knowledge that we did not belong kept us from loitering.

From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• easy
• gradual
• heavy
• lackadaisical
• leisurely
• lethargic
• moderate
• passive
• quiet
• reluctant
• sluggish
• stagnant