Idle example sentences

1. The machine is idle right now.
2. Don't be idle all day — do something.

1. He spent the afternoon idle, just watching TV and eating snacks.
2. The car's engine would idle quietly while we waited in traffic.

1. I can't stand feeling idle — I need to keep my hands busy or my mind starts spiraling.
2. His idle comments about her appearance were meant as jokes, but they stung.

1. The factory kept several production lines idle as a precaution, though it cost them money.
2. She'd grown tired of his idle promises to change; she needed to see actual action.

1. What we dismiss as idle conversation often contains the seeds of genuine connection.
2. The tension between remaining idle and the pressure to constantly produce defines modern anxiety.

1. There's a particular kind of restlessness that comes from being forced to remain idle — not boredom exactly, but a kind of existential itch.
2. His idle musings about mortality, delivered over coffee at three in the morning, revealed a depth she hadn't suspected in him.

🏠 Everyday Life

1. My dog's been idle on the couch all morning, barely lifting her head when I walk past.
2. I hate those idle moments waiting in line at the grocery store with nothing to do.

💼 Workplace

1. The manager warned us that if we keep sitting idle at our desks, she's cutting the team.
2. During the slow season, half the staff just sits idle, pretending to look busy.

📊 Business

1. Keeping that equipment idle costs us thousands a month, so we need to find new contracts.
2. The consultant recommended we stop letting our warehouse space sit idle and lease it out.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

1. This blender's been idle in my cabinet for two years — I should probably sell it.
2. Why buy something that's just going to sit idle in your garage?

✈️ Travel

1. The tour bus would idle outside the hotel while we waited for the stragglers.
2. We spent an idle afternoon wandering through the old town, no real plan.

📚 Education

1. The teacher said we shouldn't let our brains go idle over summer break.
2. Students who sit idle in class are usually the ones who fail the test.

❤️ Relationships

1. When we're together, there's never an idle moment — we're always talking or laughing.
2. His idle flirtation with her coworker is what finally made me realize he wasn't taking us seriously.

📰 News / Politics

1. The senator's idle remarks about the crisis sparked outrage on social media.
2. Critics argue the government has let infrastructure sit idle while other countries invest heavily.

💻 Technology

1. The app uses less battery if you let the screen go idle after a few seconds.
2. My laptop's been idle for so long it probably needs updates.

📝 Formal Writing

1. The report concluded that idle capacity in the manufacturing sector represents a significant economic loss.
2. Regulations now require companies to justify why equipment remains idle for extended periods.