laze around

IPA/lˈeɪz ɐɹˈaʊnd/
IPA/lˈeɪz ɚɹˈaʊnd/

laze around — phrasal verb

  • laze aroundbase form
  • lazes around3rd person singular
  • lazing around-ing form
  • lazed aroundpast simple

1. to spend time relaxing and doing nothing active or productive, usually while sta

1.phrasal verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to spend time relaxing and doing nothing active or productive, usually while staying in one comfortable place such as a sofa, a bed, or a beach.

Example

After finals ended, Sophia spent the whole weekend lazing around the apartment.

intransitive phrasal verb, place object

The children lazed around the garden instead of helping with the shopping.

Common collocations
  • laze around the house
  • laze around the pool
  • laze around on the beach
  • laze around all day / all weekend / all morning
Synonyms
  • lounge about

    same meaning and register; interchangeable with 'laze around'

  • loaf around

    slightly more negative — suggests wasting time that should be spent productively

  • idle

    more formal; often appears as 'idle away the hours' rather than with 'around'

  • take it easy

    broader meaning — includes relaxing with purpose, not just doing nothing

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

laze around

laze around + noun phrase (place)

Usage Note

Always intransitive — the verb cannot take a direct object. To include a companion, use 'with' ('laze around with friends'). The place where you relax follows directly after 'around' or is introduced by a preposition ('on the beach', 'in the garden').

Common Mistakes

I lazed around my little brother all afternoon.
I lazed around with my little brother all afternoon.
'laze around' cannot take a person as a direct object; use 'with' for companions.
She lazed around the kitchen cleaning.
She lazed around the kitchen doing nothing.
'laze around' means resting and avoiding productive activity, so pairing it with a work verb creates a contradiction.

Etymology

English

The verb 'laze' is a back-formation from the adjective 'lazy', which appeared in English around the 16th century. Adding the particle 'around' creates an informal phrasal verb that emphasises staying in one place while doing nothing — the image is of someone lounging around a house or garden rather than going anywhere specific. This combination became common in 20th-century informal British and American English.