Common mistakes
Idle or idol: inactivity, admiration, and spelling
Sign in to saveThe printer has been idle all morning, but the singer on the poster is a teenager's idol. One letter changes the word, and the meanings move far apart.
Choose idle for a person, machine, or time that is not active, and idol for a person or thing that people greatly admire.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
idle / idol /ˈaɪdəl/ /ˈaɪdəl/
The short answer
Use idle for something inactive or unused: The engine was idle at the traffic lights. Use idol for a person or thing that receives great admiration: Her childhood idol signed the book.
The new machine stood idle while the engineer checked its settings.
Why it works: The machine was not operating, so idle describes its inactive state.
4 more examples
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Several desks lay idle after the team moved to another office.
The desks were unused, so idle describes their state.
Not this:The team's young goalkeeper became
an idolto many local children. What changes: The goalkeeper is admired. Idol is a noun for the admired person. -
Do not leave the car engine idle for long in a closed space.
The engine is running without moving the car or doing useful work.
Not this:The actor thanked the fans who had treated her
as an idolfor years. What changes: The sentence is about strong admiration from fans, so idol fits. -
The supervisor gave the idle workers a new task before lunch.
The workers had no task at that moment. The sentence does not say that they are lazy people.
Not this:For one student, the science teacher was
an idolbecause she made difficult ideas clear. What changes: The teacher receives great admiration, which is the meaning of idol. -
Idle gossip about the move made the office feel tense.
Here idle means talk without a useful purpose or reliable basis.
Not this:The museum displayed
an ancient idolbehind protective glass. What changes: Idol can also mean an object treated as sacred. This is a noun, not an adjective about inactivity.
Read the full guide
Start with the noun or person you are describing. A machine, a worker, an account, or an hour can be idle when it is not active. A musician, athlete, writer, or even an object of worship can be an idol when people admire it deeply. The surrounding words usually make the choice clear.
Use idle for something that is not active
Use idle when a person, machine, vehicle, room, or resource is not active or not being used. It is an adjective, so it can come before a noun or after be, stand, sit, and lie. The word usually tells you about a temporary state.
The new machine stood idle while the engineer checked its settings.
The machine was present but not operating. Idle describes that inactive state.
The meeting room was idle for most of the afternoon.
No one was using the room, so idle means unused.
Which word fits a computer that is switched on but not being used: idle or idol?
Use idle. The computer is inactive, not an object of admiration.
Use idol for an admired person or thing
An idol is a noun. It often names a performer, athlete, artist, teacher, or public figure whom people admire intensely. You can say someone's idol, a pop idol, or an idol to young fans. The word can also name a religious object that people treat as sacred.
The team's young goalkeeper became an idol to many local children.
The goalkeeper receives strong admiration, so idol is the noun needed here.
Her childhood idol signed the book after the talk.
The admired writer is the idol. The sentence is not about whether the writer is busy.
Complete the sentence: My musical ____ played in the city last night.
Use idol because the sentence names a musician the speaker admires.
Notice the grammar around each word
Grammar can help you spot the difference. Idle is an adjective, so it can modify a noun: idle workers or idle equipment. Idol is a countable noun, so it often follows an article or possessive word: an idol, her idol, or their idol.
Several desks lay idle after the team moved to another office.
Idle follows lay and describes the desks, just as quiet can describe a room.
For one student, the science teacher was an idol.
An comes before idol because idol is a singular countable noun.
Which pattern is correct: an idle, or an idol?
Use an idol when you mean an admired person. Idle normally needs a noun after it, as in an idle engine.
Use common phrases with idle
You will often see sit idle, stand idle, lie idle, idle time, and idle gossip. In these phrases, idle keeps the basic idea of not being active, useful, or occupied. It can describe machines, resources, time, and sometimes conversation.
Do not leave the car engine idle for long in a closed space.
The engine is running but the car is not moving, so idle describes its inactive use.
Idle gossip about the move made the office feel tense.
The gossip has no useful purpose or reliable basis. It is not a person whom people admire.
What does idle time mean in a work schedule?
It means time when a person, machine, or resource is not being used for the planned work.
Check the meaning before you spell the word
Both words can appear in a sentence about a famous person or a workplace, so do not rely only on the topic. Ask a direct question. Is the sentence about inactivity or unused time? Choose idle. Is it about strong admiration or a sacred object? Choose idol.
The supervisor gave the idle workers a new task before lunch.
The workers had no task at that moment. Idle does not automatically mean that they are lazy.
The actor thanked the fans who had treated her as an idol for years.
Fans admire the actor strongly, so idol is the right noun.
Choose the correct spelling: The factory's machines were ____ during the repair.
Use idle. The machines were not operating during the repair.
Before you go
Remember this
Use idle when a person, machine, place, or time is not active or is not being used. Use idol for an admired person or a sacred object. Look for the meaning first, then check the spelling: idle has e; idol has o.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Idle or idol: inactivity, admiration, and spelling"
What is the difference between idle and idol?
Idle is an adjective for something inactive or unused. Idol is a noun for a person or thing that people greatly admire. The new machine stood idle while the engineer checked its settings describes an inactive machine, while Her childhood idol signed the book names an admired person.
The new machine stood idle while the engineer checked its settings.
How do I use idle in a sentence?
Use idle before a noun or after verbs such as be, stand, sit, and lie. Several desks lay idle after the team moved to another office means the desks were unused. You can also use phrases such as idle time and idle gossip.
The engineer met her childhood idol after the product launch.
Can an idol be a person?
Yes. An idol can be a musician, athlete, writer, teacher, or public figure whom someone admires deeply. The team's young goalkeeper became an idol to many local children uses idol for an admired person.
Several desks lay idle after the team moved to another office.
Does idle always mean lazy?
No. Idle often describes a temporary lack of activity, without judging the person. Workers can be idle because they are waiting for a task or because equipment is unavailable. Context can make idle sound critical when it describes a person who avoids useful activity.
The team's young goalkeeper became an idol to many local children.
Why are idle and idol easy to confuse?
In many British accents, idle and idol are pronounced the same way. Their spelling and grammar are different. Idle is usually an adjective, as in idle gossip, while idol is a noun for an admired person or a sacred object in a collection.
Do not leave the car engine idle for long in a closed space.