SKIP TO CONTENT

lazily

/ˈleɪzɪli/
/ˈleɪzɪli/
IPA guide

When you do something lazily, you act in a slow, leisurely way, with as little effort as possible. For some, a perfect summer afternoon involves lying lazily in a hammock, reading a mystery novel.

If your parents tell you to hurry up so you don't miss the bus, you probably shouldn't lazily finish the last bites of your cereal. Acting lazily shows a lack of energy or motivation — and most of all, it's really slow. Word experts trace lazily and lazy back to the Middle Low German word laisch, "weak, feeble, or tired." After a long, exhausting day, you'll definitely want to flop lazily into bed.

Definitions of lazily
  1. adverb
    in an idle manner
    synonyms: idly
  2. adverb
    in a slow and lazy manner
    “I watched the blue smoke drift lazily away on the still air”
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘lazily'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family