lounge

American  

[lounj] / laʊndʒ /

verb (used without object)

lounged, lounging

1. to pass time idly and indolently.

   Synonyms:

   potter, dally, relax, idle, loaf

2. to rest or recline indolently; loll.

   We lounged in the sun all afternoon.

3. to go or move in a leisurely, indolent manner; saunter (usually followed by around, along, off, etc.).

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verb (used with object)

lounged, lounging

1. to pass (time) in lounging (usually followed by away orout ).

   to lounge away the afternoon.

noun

1. a sofa for reclining, sometimes backless, having a headrest at one end.

2. a place for sitting, waiting, smoking, etc., especially a large public room, as in a hotel, theater, or air terminal, often with adjoining washrooms.

3. a section on a train, plane, or ship having various club or social facilities.

4. a cocktail lounge.

5. Archaic. the act or a period of lounging.

6. Archaic. a lounging gait.

lounge British  

/ laʊndʒ /

verb

1. (intr; often foll by about or around) to sit, lie, walk, or stand in a relaxed manner

2. to pass (time) lazily or idly

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noun

1. 1. a communal room in a hotel, ship, theatre, etc, used for waiting or relaxing in

   2. ( as modifier )

      lounge chair

2. a living room in a private house

3. Also called: lounge bar.   saloon bar.  a more expensive bar in a pub or hotel

4. 1. an expensive bar, esp in a hotel

   2. short for cocktail lounge

5. a sofa or couch, esp one with a headrest and no back

6. the act or an instance of lounging

Related Words

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

• loungy adjective

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.

Example Sentences

If guests aren’t entertained enough with the indoor amenities, they can lounge at the 40-foot saltwater pool with solar heating.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

"I opened up the lounge curtains just to be blasted with blue lights," he explained.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

The tiny lounge is the only Chase lounge in the country that accepts reservations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

From the airport lounge to roundabouts dotting Benin's economic capital Cotonou, images of his smiling face framed by his round glasses have been prominent for weeks.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

The four girls lounge in their nightgowns and tell each other the true story of how their lives are going.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• idle
• laze
• loiter
• loll
• recline
• relax
• saunter
• sprawl