idleness
intermediateB1/ˈaɪdəlnəs/ · i-dle-ness
The state of being inactive, unoccupied, or avoiding work; habitual avoidance of activity or effort.
Meanings
The state of being inactive, unoccupied, or avoiding work; habitual avoidance of activity or effort.
غیر فعال یا بے کار رہنے کی حالت؛ کام سے جی چرانے کی عادت؛ سستی اور کاہلی کی کیفیت۔
سستی
susti
Common Collocations
- idleness breeds trouble
- a life of idleness
- fall into idleness
- enforced idleness
- voluntary idleness
- chronic idleness
- idleness of mind
- cure for idleness
Example Sentences
Prolonged idleness can lead to depression and a loss of purpose in life.
طویل بے کاری انسان کو ذہنی کمزوری اور زندگی میں مقصد کی کمی کی طرف لے جا سکتی ہے۔
Taweel be-kari insaan ko zehni kamzori aur zindagi mein maqsad ki kami ki taraf le ja sakti hai.
His teachers warned him that idleness would ruin his future prospects.
اس کے اساتذہ نے اسے خبردار کیا کہ سستی اس کے مستقبل کے امکانات کو برباد کر دے گی۔
Us ke asatiza ne use khabardaar kiya ke susti us ke mustaqbil ke imkaanat ko barbaad kar degi.
The philosopher argued that idleness, when chosen wisely, can be a form of creative rest.
فلسفی نے دلیل دی کہ سستی، جب عقل سے اختیار کی جائے، تخلیقی آرام کی ایک شکل ہو سکتی ہے۔
Falsafi ne daleel di ke susti, jab aqal se ikhtiyar ki jaye, takhliqi aaraam ki ek shakl ho sakti hai.
The economic recession led to enforced idleness among thousands of factory workers.
معاشی کساد بازاری نے ہزاروں کارخانہ مزدوروں کو مجبوری کی بے کاری میں دھکیل دیا۔
Maashi kasaad bazaari ne hazaaron kaarkhana mazdooron ko majboori ki be-kari mein dhakail diya.
Easily Confused With
The quality of being pointless, futile, or without worth; vanity of action or thought.
کسی کام یا خیال کا بے فائدہ، بے معنی یا بے قدر ہونا؛ بے حاصل پن۔
بے حاصل پن
be-hasil pan
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations
- idleness of thought
- idleness of words
- the idleness of such pursuits
- recognize the idleness of vanity
Example Sentences
The poet lamented the idleness of worldly ambitions that fade like dust.
شاعر نے دنیاوی خواہشات کی بے حاصلی پر نوحہ کیا جو گرد کی طرح اڑ جاتی ہیں۔
Shaair ne dunyawi khwahishaat ki be-haasli par nauha kiya jo gard ki tarah ur jaati hain.
He recognized the idleness of arguing with someone who refused to listen to reason.
اس نے محسوس کیا کہ ایسے شخص سے بحث کرنا بے حاصل ہے جو دلیل سننے سے انکاری ہو۔
Us ne mahsoos kiya ke aise shakhs se behas karna be-hasil hai jo daleel sunne se inkari ho.
The mystic spoke of the idleness of material possessions in the face of spiritual truth.
صوفی نے روحانی حقیقت کے سامنے مادی دولت کی بے حاصلی کا ذکر کیا۔
Sufi ne roohani haqeeqat ke saamne maadi daulat ki be-haasli ka zikr kiya.
Easily Confused With
Word Family
See Also
💡 Memory Tip
Think of 'idol' inside 'idleness' — an idol just sits there doing nothing, decorative but unproductive. Someone practicing idleness is like an idol: still, inactive, and unengaged with the world.
Picture a person reclining in a hammock under a tree, eyes half-closed, a book fallen from their hands onto the grass, while a clock on a nearby post shows hours ticking by — the perfect image of idleness.
✍️ Urdu Poetry
کاہلی کا یہ حال ہے اے دوست عمر گزری مگر کچھ نہ کیا
Kahili ka yeh haal hai ae dost Umr guzri magar kuch na kiya
Such is the state of idleness, O friend — a lifetime passed, yet nothing was accomplished.
— Unknown, Unverified
* Poetry attribution is AI-generated and may require verification.
🗣️ Urdu Proverb
خالی دماغ شیطان کا گھر
Khaali dimaag shaitaan ka ghar
An idle mind is the devil's workshop.
📖 Etymology
Origin: Old English "īdel + -ness" — 'empty, useless, vain' + noun-forming suffix
First known use: Old English, circa 10th century
The word derives from Old English 'īdel' meaning 'empty, vain, useless,' related to Old High German 'ital' (empty, vain) and Old Frisian 'idel.' The suffix '-ness' was added to form the abstract noun, indicating the state or quality of being idle. Over centuries, the word evolved from a general sense of 'emptiness' or 'vanity' to its modern meaning of 'the state of being inactive or lazy.' In medieval Christian theology, idleness was closely linked to the sin of sloth (acedia), cementing its negative moral connotations.