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
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
The showers are expected to dawdle in the area before exiting by early afternoon, the National Weather Service said in its forecast discussion.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
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
The showers are expected to dawdle in the area before exiting by early afternoon, the National Weather Service said in its forecast discussion.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
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At least three lawsuits have been filed against the company for delaying the features and circulating misleading iPhone 16 ads regarding Apple Intelligence.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
26 May 2025
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Kristi Durbin, immunization and travel division manager at El Paso County Public Health, said parents delayed routine health care during the pandemic.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
25 May 2025
Verb
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The pitch lingered in the air before diving under Jackson Merrill’s whiffing bat for an inning-ending strikeout.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Tariffs, inflation and lingering fears of a recession have left many Americans uneasy and pulling back on spending.—
Michelle Chapman,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
Verb
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So, waders are people who just stroll through and say, ‘Oh, this is nice.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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In what has become a familiar sight on the Croisette, Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne strolled up the red carpet to present their new film to a welcoming crowd.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The woman crawled to her bathroom and pulled the emergency cord, then the facility staff called 911, deputies said.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Sun Sentinel,
22 May 2025
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Here, 15 of the softest sheets that will convince you that crawling into bed at 9 p.m. is equivalent to self-care.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
16 May 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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Further afield is the prospect of an India-EU FTA, although that process has dragged on for a decade.—
Vasuki Shastry,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
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That dragged its stock down even though the company also reported a better profit for the latest quarter than expected.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
Verb
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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
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As the dog lazed in the dirt in Shelby Park, one guardsman ruminated about new missions to alleviate the boredom.—
Jack Healy,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Within seconds, Phaedra poked fun at newbies Brit Eady, Angela Oakley, and Kelli Ferrell.—
Robyn Merrett,
StyleCaster,
25 May 2025
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These two words have become an international meme, poking fun at Trump, especially since Putin ignored him.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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