Sometimes, we do things that don’t really help us finish a task. We may spend time on silly stuff, or get distracted by little things. This is called “wasting time.” People often use special phrases to talk about it. These phrases are called idioms. Idioms don’t always mean what the words say. Instead, they have a different meaning that people understand from how they are used.
In this article, we will look at idioms that show when someone is wasting time. These phrases help us talk about times when we should be working but aren’t. Knowing these idioms can help you understand when someone is not using time well. They can also help you talk about time in a fun way. Let’s take a look at some of these useful expressions.
Idioms for Wasting Time
1. Beat around the bush
Meaning: To avoid saying something directly.
For Example: He beat around the bush when I asked why he was late. / Don’t beat around the bush just tell me what happened.
Alternatively: Not getting to the point / Talking in circles
2. Kill time
Meaning: To do something just to pass the time.
For Example: I played a game to kill time before dinner. / We walked around the mall to kill time.
Alternatively: Waste time / Pass time
3. Drag your feet
Meaning: To move or act slowly on purpose.
For Example: She dragged her feet when cleaning her room. / Don’t drag your feet, we’re going to be late.
Alternatively: Go slow on purpose / Take your time
4. Fiddle around
Meaning: To do small things that don’t really matter.
For Example: He fiddled around with his pencil instead of starting the test. / Stop fiddling around and get to work.
Alternatively: Mess around / Do nothing useful
5. Go off on a tangent
Meaning: To start talking about something not related.
For Example: We went off on a tangent while talking about our project. / The teacher went off on a tangent about her dog.
Alternatively: Change the topic / Talk about something else
6. Monkey around
Meaning: To play or act silly instead of working.
For Example: They were monkeying around instead of cleaning up. / Don’t monkey around during class time.
Alternatively: Fool around / Be silly
7. Dilly-dally
Meaning: To waste time by being slow or not deciding.
For Example: She dilly-dallied and missed the bus. / Quit dilly-dallying and pick a game to play.
Alternatively: Stall / Take too long
8. Loaf around
Meaning: To do nothing or relax instead of working.
For Example: He loafed around all Saturday. / Stop loafing around and help with the chores.
Alternatively: Be lazy / Lounge
9. Take the scenic route
Meaning: To take a longer way on purpose.
For Example: We took the scenic route to avoid doing homework. / He took the scenic route home from school.
Alternatively: Avoid doing something / Waste time
10. Spin your wheels
Meaning: To keep trying without making progress.
For Example: I felt like I was spinning my wheels on that hard math problem. / She kept spinning her wheels without getting anything done.
Alternatively: Get nowhere / Try without success
11. Burn daylight
Meaning: To waste time during the day.
For Example: Let’s get moving we’re burning daylight! / You’re burning daylight watching cartoons all morning.
Alternatively: Waste good time / Lose daytime hours
12. Twiddle your thumbs
Meaning: To do nothing while waiting.
For Example: I twiddled my thumbs while waiting for the teacher. / He sat there twiddling his thumbs instead of helping.
Alternatively: Sit around / Do nothing
13. Pass the time
Meaning: To do something just to stay busy while waiting.
For Example: I passed the time by reading a comic book. / We played cards to pass the time on the road trip.
Alternatively: Keep busy / Fill time
14. Shoot the breeze
Meaning: To have a casual chat.
For Example: Grandpa and I shot the breeze on the porch. / They were just shooting the breeze before practice started.
Alternatively: Talk for fun / Chat
15. Mess around
Meaning: To waste time by not doing anything important.
For Example: He messed around all afternoon instead of doing homework. / Stop messing around and get your chores done.
Alternatively: Fool around / Waste time
16. Waste breath
Meaning: To talk when no one listens or it doesn’t matter.
For Example: You’re wasting your breath he won’t change his mind. / I told her twice, but it felt like I was wasting my breath.
Alternatively: Talk for nothing / Be ignored
17. Goof off
Meaning: To avoid work and play instead.
For Example: He goofed off during group work. / I goofed off and didn’t finish my drawing.
Alternatively: Avoid working / Fool around
18. Kick the can down the road
Meaning: To delay doing something.
For Example: We kicked the can down the road and didn’t do our project until the last minute. / Don’t keep kicking the can finish your chores.
Alternatively: Delay / Postpone
19. Laze around
Meaning: To relax and not do anything.
For Example: I lazed around on Sunday watching cartoons. / She lazed around in bed all morning.
Alternatively: Lounge / Be lazy
20. Rest on your laurels
Meaning: To stop working hard after one success.
For Example: He rested on his laurels after winning one game. / Don’t rest on your laurels keep practicing!
Alternatively: Stop trying / Feel too proud too soon
21. Chase your tail
Meaning: To keep busy but not get anything done.
For Example: I felt like I was chasing my tail trying to clean my messy room. / He’s chasing his tail trying to finish everything at once.
Alternatively: Go in circles / Do too much with no result
22. Put off
Meaning: To delay doing something.
For Example: She kept putting off her homework. / Don’t put off the dishes again.
Alternatively: Delay / Wait too long
23. Run around in circles
Meaning: To do a lot without getting results.
For Example: I was running around in circles before the party. / We ran around in circles with no clear plan.
Alternatively: Be confused / Waste effort
24. Beat a dead horse
Meaning: To talk about something that’s already done or decided.
For Example: Stop beating a dead horse we’re not changing the rules. / We’ve already talked about it, don’t beat a dead horse.
Alternatively: Talk too much about old things / Repeat pointlessly
25. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: To try something that won’t work.
For Example: You’re barking up the wrong tree asking her she doesn’t know. / He was barking up the wrong tree with that excuse.
Alternatively: Make the wrong choice / Look in the wrong place
26. Waffle on
Meaning: To talk too much without a clear point.
For Example: He waffled on during the meeting and said nothing important. / She waffled on for ten minutes about lunch.
Alternatively: Talk aimlessly / Ramble
27. Blowing smoke
Meaning: To say things that don’t mean much.
For Example: He’s just blowing smoke he won’t really do it. / That promise was just blowing smoke.
Alternatively: Say nonsense / Make empty talk
28. Chit-chat
Meaning: Small talk that is not important.
For Example: The students were chit-chatting during class. / They spent the afternoon in chit-chat instead of studying.
Alternatively: Talk casually / Talk without purpose
29. Dawdle
Meaning: To move slowly and waste time.
For Example: She dawdled on the way to school. / Don’t dawdle or we’ll be late.
Alternatively: Move too slowly / Waste time walking
30. Be all talk
Meaning: To talk about doing something but not do it.
For Example: He said he’d help, but he’s all talk. / She’s all talk about joining the club.
Alternatively: Say but not do / Make empty promises
31. Go round in circles
Meaning: To talk or act in a confusing way that leads nowhere.
For Example: We went round in circles during the group discussion. / I was going round in circles trying to fix the puzzle.
Alternatively: Get confused / Repeat things
32. Cool your heels
Meaning: To wait when you’d rather be doing something.
For Example: I had to cool my heels while Mom talked to the teacher. / He cooled his heels in the hallway before class.
Alternatively: Wait around / Stay put
33. Run out the clock
Meaning: To waste time until time runs out.
For Example: The team ran out the clock to keep their lead. / He’s just running out the clock so he won’t have to answer.
Alternatively: Use up time / Stall
34. Stand around
Meaning: To not do anything helpful while waiting.
For Example: They just stood around while I cleaned. / Don’t stand around help me set the table.
Alternatively: Wait without helping / Be idle
35. Waste time
Meaning: To not use time wisely.
For Example: He wasted time playing instead of studying. / I wasted time watching videos instead of practicing.
Alternatively: Lose time / Not use time well
36. Play for time
Meaning: To delay something on purpose.
For Example: He played for time by asking more questions. / I played for time so I could finish my paper.
Alternatively: Stall / Delay
37. Talk someone’s ear off
Meaning: To talk too much.
For Example: She talked my ear off about her weekend. / Don’t talk their ear off let them speak too.
Alternatively: Talk non-stop / Chat a lot
38. Kill two hours
Meaning: To spend time doing something, usually not important.
For Example: We killed two hours watching old cartoons. / I killed two hours at the park.
Alternatively: Pass time / Fill time
39. Hang around
Meaning: To wait or stay without doing anything useful.
For Example: I just hung around the house all day. / He’s always hanging around the store after school.
Alternatively: Linger / Stay with no reason
40. While away the time
Meaning: To spend time in a relaxed way.
For Example: We whiled away the time at the beach. / Grandma whiled away the afternoon reading.
Alternatively: Relax / Take time slowly
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Wasting Time
- If someone is “dragging their feet,” they are trying to move fast.
True / False - Saying “kill time” means you are doing something important.
True / False - When people “monkey around,” they are acting silly instead of working.
True / False - “Shooting the breeze” means having a serious talk about a school project.
True / False - If your teacher says “stop messing around,” they want you to focus.
True / False - Saying someone is “all talk” means they always do what they say.
True / False - “Twiddling your thumbs” means you are working really hard.
True / False - If a person “goes off on a tangent,” they are sticking to the main topic.
True / False - When kids “dilly-dally,” they are moving quickly and getting things done.
True / False - “Run around in circles” means you are doing a lot but not getting anywhere.
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
- False
- False
- False
- False
- True
Scoring Guide
- 10 Correct Answers: Idioms Master!
- 7–9 Correct Answers: You really get idioms nice work!
- 4–6 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–3 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about idioms together!
Conclusion
People sometimes spend time doing things that don’t help them finish a task. That’s called wasting time. Idioms are fun ways to describe this. They help us talk about moments when we are being slow, distracted, or not working well.
Now that you know these idioms, you can use them in your own talking and writing. Try to spot them when others use them too. Knowing these phrases can help you explain what’s really going on when time slips away.
