loitered
Stayed without purpose
Loitered is the past tense of loiter, meaning to stand or wait around idly without apparent purpose.
The word often carries a negative connotation—someone who loiters may be suspected of being up to no good: He loitered outside the convenience store until the manager asked him to leave.
Signs warning "No Loitering" prohibit lingering in an area.
Moved without fixed course
- driftedMoved without aim
- meanderedTraveled without direct course
- saunteredWalked in unhurried fashion
- roamedTraveled without fixed course
strolled · ambled · moseyed · traipsed · dawdled · lingered · tarried · dallied
Spent time idly
- loungedRested in relaxed posture
- loafedWas deliberately unproductive
- slackedReduced one's effort
- restedHaving recovered energy
lingered · dawdled · lolled · vegetated · procrastinated · stalled · delayed · wasted time
Hid with intent
- skulkedMoved to avoid detection
- prowledMoved stealthily about
- casedEnclosed or reconnoitered
- watchedSaw with attention
hovered · waited · shadowed · staked out · surveilled · observed · monitored · snooped
Entered without authorization
- violatedBroke a rule
- infringedBroke a rule
- transgressedBroke a rule
- encroachedGradually overstepped boundaries
intruded · vagrancy · ejected · warned · moved along · dispersed · shooed · cited
wandered
Moved without fixed course
roamed · strolled · ambled · moseyed · traipsed · dawdled · lingered · tarried · dallied · pottered
lazed
Spent time idly
rested · lingered · dawdled · lolled · vegetated · procrastinated · stalled · delayed · wasted time · killed time
lurked
Hid with intent
watched · hovered · waited · shadowed · staked out · surveilled · observed · monitored · snooped · creeped
trespassed
Entered without authorization
- violatedBroke a rule
- infringedBroke a rule
- transgressedBroke a rule
encroached · intruded · vagrancy · ejected · warned · moved along · dispersed · shooed · cited · fined
- loitering lawsStatutes criminalizing idle presence
- no loitering sign