1
as in to play
to engage in activity for amusement
he spent his college years dallying, seemingly determined to acquire as little knowledge as possible
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2
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
don't dally on the way to the interview
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3
as in to flirt
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house
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4
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
I kept dallying at my desk until I couldn't put off doing my work any longer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dally
Their dallying tartness charts an ongoing conversation on the renowned love affair of sour and spice in Mexican cuisine — one worth celebrating.
—
Andrea Aliseda, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024
And then there’s her day job, as a receptionist at her art-school alma mater, to pay her landlord, who dallies on fixing the heater.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 June 2023
Another factor in the release undating was Bad Bunny’s touring schedule, which had firmed up while the movie was dallying.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 June 2023
After wrapping up some unfinished business in the aforementioned Morocco (for which the deserts of Jordan this time stand in), Wick makes his way to Japan and Germany before dallying to Paris for the denouement.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dally
Andrea Aliseda, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024
And then there’s her day job, as a receptionist at her art-school alma mater, to pay her landlord, who dallies on fixing the heater.
—Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 22 June 2023
Another factor in the release undating was Bad Bunny’s touring schedule, which had firmed up while the movie was dallying.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 June 2023
After wrapping up some unfinished business in the aforementioned Morocco (for which the deserts of Jordan this time stand in), Wick makes his way to Japan and Germany before dallying to Paris for the denouement.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dally
Verb
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Engage Your Senses In a shared office environment, playing loud music or lighting a scented candle is frowned upon.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
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The Rebellion Is Here Moss, who stars, executive produces and directs on the series, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the emotional impact of becoming a mother herself before playing June one last time for The Handmaid’s Tale.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The discoloration may linger after the fungus has been removed.—
Sarah Bradley,
Health,
23 Mar. 2025
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The palate is intensely flavored with citrus fruits and a stone-fruit character, balanced by a crisp acidity and a dry, lingering finish.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Instead, Steven Kwan flirted with .400 at one point before finishing with a .292 average.—
Johnny Flores Jr.,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Fewer bonding experiences: Dancing, flirting, laughing over drinks — these are all ways humans historically release stress and build intimacy, even in short bursts.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
25 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Broken cross-department collaboration exacerbates inefficiencies, delaying decision-making and execution.—
Joao Mendes-Roter,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Still, some who have been focused on TCE were surprised that the Trump administration was delaying and reconsidering the recent ban.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Now is not the time to dawdle, as certain entries on the list might still sell out by week’s end.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2025
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Instead, Spurs dawdled during negotiations and, in the end, Slot stayed with the Dutch club for another season before joining Liverpool.—
Oli Gamp,
The Athletic,
22 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and dragging hundreds more back to Gaza as hostages.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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The man was convicted of dragging the girl into an alley on Glenwood Road near E. 38th St. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and attacking her, cops said.—
Elizabeth Keogh,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Cleveland-Cliffs — The steel producer declined 1.2% after a report from the Minnesota Star Tribune said Cleveland-Cliffs would temporarily idle two factories, resulting in hundreds of job cuts.—
Hakyung Kim,
CNBC,
21 Mar. 2025
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In court papers, top CFPB officials have said the agency remains committed to meeting its obligations under the law, rejecting arguments that by idling the majority of the agency's staff and canceling the bulk of its contracts, the Trump administration is violating the law.—
Douglas Gillison and Daniel Wiessner,
USA TODAY,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But, somehow, life finds a way: The seafloor was crawling with critters of all shapes and sizes, from centuries-old sponges and cup corals to octopuses, snails, worms, sea spiders, icefish and even a rare giant phantom jellyfish.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
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Wright crawled out of the driver’s side door of the vehicle, Chargualaf said.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dally. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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