In our fast-paced world, describing someone’s lack of hustle can be as colorful as the English language allows. This post explores 20 idioms that paint a vivid picture of laziness, each with a brief explanation and an illustrative sentence.
Idioms That Describe Laziness
1. Couch Potato
Meaning: A person who spends too much time sitting and watching TV.
Example: He’s become a couch potato this summer.
2. Lazy Bones
Meaning: Someone who is extremely lazy.
Example: Get up, lazy bones!
3. Slugabed
Meaning: One who stays in bed long after waking up.
Example: He’s a slugabed on Sundays.
4. Laid-back
Meaning: Relaxed or unhurried.
Example: He’s too laid-back about his studies.
5. Loafer
Meaning: A person who avoids work and spends their time idly.
Example: He’s nothing but a loafer.
6. Goldbricker
Meaning: Someone who avoids duties, especially by pretending to work.
Example: She’s known as a goldbricker.
7. Deadbeat
Meaning: Someone who is lazy and unreliable.
Example: Don’t be such a deadbeat!
8. Bum
Meaning: A lazy person who avoids work.
Example: He’s been a bum all week.
9. Slack
Meaning: To avoid exerting oneself in work.
Example: He slacks off too often.
10. Dilly-dallier
Meaning: A person who wastes time or procrastinates.
Example: She’s a real dilly-dallier.
11. Layabout
Meaning: Someone who habitually does little to no work.
Example: That layabout needs a job.
12. Slowcoach
Meaning: A person who acts or moves slowly.
Example: Hurry up, slowcoach!
13. Time-waster
Meaning: Someone who does not use their time productively.
Example: Stop being a time-waster.
14. Do-nothing
Meaning: A person who is inactive and does very little.
Example: He’s a complete do-nothing.
15. Featherbedder
Meaning: One who is overprotected at work.
Example: She’s a featherbedder, avoiding hard tasks.
16. Shirk
Meaning: To avoid or neglect a duty.
Example: He always shirks his responsibilities.
17. Goof-off
Meaning: A person who spends time idly or foolishly.
Example: He’s just a goof-off at work.
18. Dawdler
Meaning: Someone who takes more time than necessary to do something.
Example: She’s a dawdler with chores.
19. Lagger
Meaning: A person who falls behind or moves too slowly.
Example: Don’t be a lagger!
20. Malingerer
Meaning: Someone who pretends to be ill to avoid work.
Example: He’s a known malingerer.
