1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dillydally
There was the tapping of the top of the bat to his toes, scribbling in the dirt, adjusting his gloves and swiping his shoulder, among other displays of dillydallying.
—
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydally
Verb
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There's also great uncertainty as Trump seeks negotiations with China and begins talks with other counties whose larger tariffs were delayed by 90 days.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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Funds should go out within 30 days of the final approval hearing on July 17, 2025, but they may be delayed by appeals or injunctions.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And though a few dozen people left the dinner early to catch the end or start of various performances, which included Charli XCX and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, about half of the long table lingered after dessert to continue chatting with their tablemates.—
Ye Fan,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Still, memories of the show lingered in a few significant minds: both Stephen Sondheim and Fred Ebb felt its influence.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Players dawdled on the ball in key moments, hesitant to make mistakes.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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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
Verb
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Antetokounmpo poked the ball away from Nembhard briefly and a scramble ensued, but the Pacers came up with the ball.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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Amy Schumer also took to Instagram to poke fun at the mission, jokingly revealing she had been chosen to be part of the crew at the last minute.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Fans were still bummed that he was reassigned to minor-league camp.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
17 Mar. 2025
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For more on Nintendo Switch 2, check out our Switch 2 game wishlist and learn why we’ll be bummed if Switch 2 lacks these features.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Simply fill the moat with water to keep unwanted pests from crawling down to the nectar ports.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2025
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And setting your baby down on the ground to crawl around isn’t the cleanest option.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The horrific crimes came to light after an MTA train conductor found the dead man, believed to be in his 40s, facedown on the floor of an idling R train at the Whitehall St. subway stop in lower Manhattan about 12:30 a.m.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2025
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The plans for the idling come weeks after a Detroit Free Press report said hundreds of BrightDrop vehicles were lining a storage lot in Flint, Michigan.—
Michael Wayland,
CNBC,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The longer the trade war drags on, the more likely Washington and Beijing will find other ways to retaliate beyond economics.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
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Paleontologists used to wonder if some marine reptiles did the same, awkwardly dragging themselves onto beaches to lay eggs rather than birthing their young at sea like whales do.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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