“Idle” vs. “Lazy”: What’s the Difference?

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The difference between “idle” and “lazy”

  • Being idle is often a temporary state or situation, while being lazy is a personality trait.
  • Being idle may be intentional or unintentional, while laziness is a deliberate choice.
  • Idle people may be unproductive for a specific period of time, while lazy people tend to avoid work altogether.
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What is the definition of “idle” and “lazy”?

Idle
  • To be idle means to not be actively engaged in any work or activity.
  • It is a state of being inactive or not doing anything that requires effort.
  • Being idle can be intentional or unintentional, but it is often associated with a lack of productivity or usefulness.
Lazy
  • "Lazy" refers to a person who avoids work or physical exertion out of reluctance or lethargy.
  • It is a behavior that involves a lack of motivation, ambition, or drive to do anything productive.
  • Laziness is often seen as a negative trait or a flaw in character.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Lazy” is the more popular variant on the web.
Idle
138,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. He spent his days in idle talk without ever doing any work.
  2. The car's engine was left idle for too long, and now it won't start.
  3. The factory was forced to stand idle due to a lack of raw materials.
More popular
Lazy
232,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. She was too lazy to clean her room, so it became a complete mess.
  2. He was always looking for the easy way out of things and developed a lazy attitude.
  3. The lazy cat spent most of its day sleeping in the sun.
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