1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
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Recent Examples of dawdle
Players dawdled on the ball in key moments, hesitant to make mistakes.
—
Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Skelly secured the Obama Administration’s commitment to buy his energy, but in the course of a decade the project slowly collapsed, as state powers dawdled and eventually refused to issue the necessary permits.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Before building a vacuum train tube from L.A. to San Francisco, proponents must succeed with an 8-kilometer test track
Philip E. Ross
18 Dec 2015
8 min read
The Straight Road: Only when dawdling in the city can Hyperloop capsules handle more than a gentle curve.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Dec. 2015
Instead, season three of The White Lotus dawdles too long, trying to save too much of the good stuff for the end.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Skelly secured the Obama Administration’s commitment to buy his energy, but in the course of a decade the project slowly collapsed, as state powers dawdled and eventually refused to issue the necessary permits.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
Before building a vacuum train tube from L.A. to San Francisco, proponents must succeed with an 8-kilometer test track
Philip E. Ross
18 Dec 2015
8 min read
The Straight Road: Only when dawdling in the city can Hyperloop capsules handle more than a gentle curve.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Dec. 2015
Instead, season three of The White Lotus dawdles too long, trying to save too much of the good stuff for the end.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
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So far, the administration has ended or delayed nearly 2,500 NIH grants, including some related to researching blood glucose.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2025
-
Service businesses face real-time cost pressures that cannot be warehoused or delayed.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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That didn't happen early Friday, however, perhaps signaling investors' lingering worries over the high level of U.S. debt.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
13 June 2025
-
Overcast skies and lingering wet weather isn’t expected to alter the event.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
Barkov strolled onto the rebound with the nearest Oiler completely unescorted.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2025
-
The surrounding streets are a pleasure to stroll, particularly the wide Corso Italia, where families gather around benches under the trees and couples peruse the boutiques’ window displays.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
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The curious little creatures interact with you (sometimes crawling on your body) while practicing your pose, adding an extra stress-reducing and unforgettable element to your usual yoga routine.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
13 June 2025
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He’s cut off from family and beset by crawling spiders at night, Brindley said.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Cops responded at 3:56 a.m. to a report that a vehicle was idling by the roadside near the intersection of Woodland and Irving streets, its driver apparently unconscious.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
20 May 2025
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Forget circling for parking or idling in tight corners—residents drive into a bay, and the system takes over.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 May 2025
Verb
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But by the late 1970s, as negotiations over a treaty dragged on, Congress grew receptive to industry lobbyists seeking legislation that would protect their investments in mining sites beyond U.S. maritime jurisdiction.—
Time,
Time,
17 June 2025
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What were the final few days like? Exhausting and dragging on.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
17 June 2025
Verb
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The picturesque Anse de la Fausse Monnaie, a cove along the Corniche Kennedy, the road that wraps along the coast, is an ideal spot for lazing and gazing at the sea.—
Lily Radziemski,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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And if that interest is lazing by the beach, transfers to local beach clubs will be offered as well.—
Laurie Werner,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Cunningham came to the defense of her teammate Clark, retaliating with less than a minute left on the clock after, earlier in the game, the Fever's superstar player was poked in the eye and then knocked to the ground by two separate Sun players.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
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As Clark backed Sheldon down at the top of the key, Sheldon poked Clark in the eye.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
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