idle
Not busy or not in use, or not wanting to work.
idle in a sentence
- The cat lay idle in the sun all day while the mice played freely.
- The tractor stood idle in the barn all winter, waiting for spring ploughing to begin.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to idle?
- Abusy
- Blazy
- Cworking
- Dactive
Show the answer
B: lazy. The other three mean the opposite of idle.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to idle?
- Aunused
- Bbusy
- Clazy
- Dstill
Show the answer
B: busy. The other three mean nearly the same as idle.
Words that mean something similar
lazy, unused, still
Words that mean the opposite
busy, active, working
More words about behaviour & manners
- imitate: To copy the way someone speaks or acts.
- impertinent: Rude and not showing respect.
- impostor: Someone who pretends to be another person to trick people.
- impudent: Rude and cheeky, showing no respect.
- indulge: To let yourself or someone else enjoy a treat.
- innocuous: Harmless, and not likely to upset or hurt anyone.
- insolent: Rude in a bold, cheeky way.
- interfere: To get involved in something that is not your business, often making it worse.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test