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Definitions

not lift a finger

VERB
laze
Synonyms
STRONGEST
loiter loll saunter
STRONG
bum dally dillydally dream drift evade goldbrick lie loaf lounge malinger piddle relax shirk slack stall stroll trifle vegetate
WEAK
be inactive be indolent be slothful be unoccupied bum around do nothing fool around fritter away hang out kill time knock around let down lounge around pass time sit around slow down stand around take it easy twiddle thumbs waste time while away hours
Antonyms
STRONG
do face meet
VERB
loaf
Synonyms
STRONGEST
laze loll
STRONG
bum dally dillydally dream drift evade goldbrick idle lie loiter lounge malinger piddle relax saunter shirk slack stall stroll trifle vegetate
WEAK
be inactive be indolent be slothful be unoccupied bum around fool around fritter away hang out kill time knock around let down lounge around pass time sit around slow down stand around take it easy twiddle thumbs waste time while away hours
Antonyms
STRONG
do face hurry meet run rush
WEAK
achieve energize labor work hard
VERB
twiddle one's thumbs
Synonyms
WEAK
do nothing sit it out sit on one's hands

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, could not lift a finger to help the city he was first elected to run in 2019.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025

Pechman pointed out that the officers’ lawyers, while waiting on an appeal, “did not lift a finger to engage in discovery” in the months the appeal was pending.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2022

On our last night together, he insisted I not lift a finger, so he made dinner and decided on “The Matrix.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2021

To cite one example from the second quarter report, we would hope that Mr. Neal would not lift a finger to help tobacco company Altria Group, which contributed the maximum $10,000.

From Washington Times • Jul. 24, 2020

One dare not rebel; one dare not lift a finger, or the woman speaks and his Majesty's ruin falls.

From Cleek, the Master Detective by Hanshew, Thomas W.