loiter
verb (used without object)
to linger aimlessly or as if aimless in or about a place.
were loitering
-
past progressiveof loiter.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Officers at the Prince George's County Police Department said the men were "loitering" and subsequently identified Mr Abrego Garcia and two of the others as members of MS-13.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2025
On a barren ridge a mile away, a bunch of mountain goats and bighorn sheep were loitering around “these wet little muddy spots,” Berger recalls.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 17, 2022
He hopped out of the cab clutching a large bag of seed and began to spread it among a sizable group of pigeons that were loitering on the mall.
From New York Times ● Mar. 27, 2022
The year before, I watched from the practice tee as a bobcat nonchalantly circled a flock of wild turkeys, which were loitering nervously in the middle of the driving range.
From Golf Digest ● May 8, 2020
And it wasn’t because people were loitering in the hallway at lunch either.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
