malingered

verb

past tense of malinger
as in idled
to pretend to be sick or injured in order to avoid doing work Because of his frequent absences, his boss suspected he was malingering.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malingered
  1. idled
  2. messed
  3. fooled
  4. played
  5. lingered
  6. rested
  7. bummed
Verb
  • The Brampton Assembly Plant, which was previously slated to build the Jeep Compass before Stellantis moved the product out of Canada in 2025 to avoid tariffs, has been idled since 2023.
    — Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Across the city and the country, declining attendance has idled many religious buildings, often leading to conversions.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of idled
Verb
  • That book really messed me up in the sense of nothing is promised.
    — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Had a couple calls in here that messed it up a little bit, but that’s the game.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of messed
Verb
  • And we will be fooled into believing that’s the best, or worst, thing comedy has to offer.
    — Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The balancing act Don’t be fooled by the lack of a back-up plan.
    — Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fooled
Verb
  • Those emotions certainly were appropriate following Miami’s closer-than-expected 15-10 loss in Minnesota on Sunday, a game in which the defense played valiantly and Ollie Gordon reached the 100-yard mark.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The reporting on such matters is well-established, in the stories of Wall Street Journal journalist Jeff Horwitz (played here by Jeremy Allen White) and many others.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of played
Verb
  • Many students lingered afterward, to vent and console one another.
    — Jordana Cepelewicz, Quanta Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Guests lingered over cocktails, lauding Ghesquière’s formidable creative prowess, personal warmth and loyalty.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of lingered
Verb
  • There is plenty of Division I college talent sprinkled all over this game and both teams should be well rested after the district’s off week last week.
    — Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Prosecutors rested their case Tuesday in the death penalty trial of 42-year-old Alberto Sierra.
    — Anna McAllister, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of rested
Verb
  • I'mPhaedra Trethan, bummed out to hear one of my favorite baseball announcers has been let go in a round of ESPN layoffs.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 21 July 2026
  • Officer Rory lets Greg go, but the combination of the walk and thinking about his daughter’s predicament has bummed him out.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of bummed
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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malinger
malingered
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Cite this Entry

“Malingered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malingered. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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