1
as in panic
a state of nervous or irritated concern
Grandma usually gets in a dither if I don't make my weekly call
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in butterflies
a sense of panic or extreme nervousness
we were all in a dither while we waited for the test results
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
we dithered all afternoon over whether to go to the park or to the movies and ended up doing neither
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dither
James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
In Diane Keaton’s dithers is all the strength of American women.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2025
Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
People shouted over each other as the performers dithered over ideas and raced around the venue.
—Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dither
Noun
But that counterintuitive ranking, in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican statewide in years, has Democrats in a dither and reform advocates once again saying that California needs to shift to a more representative form of voting.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
In Diane Keaton’s dithers is all the strength of American women.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
Some people flourish right out of the gate, like Steve Jobs, who founded Apple at age 21 and—despite being pushed out and then asked back—never seemed to dither.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
People shouted over each other as the performers dithered over ideas and raced around the venue.
—Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dither
Noun
-
Victor Wembanyama protected the rim, San Antonio’s defense crowded every touch and the Spurs spent most of the night making the Knicks look stuck between patience and panic.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
-
The two roles underline the actor’s formidable versatility, all skittish panic in the former and arrogant sociopathy in the other.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Aguirre hoped his team would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more bite in its second game against South Korea, but his team didn’t have much power behind its attack during the game’s first 45 minutes.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Luckily, a couple Nightcaps veterans calmed my nerves.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
When asked which member of the family is the best soccer player, Theo didn't hesitate.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
-
When an agreement offers nothing to the Iranian people, why would the regime hesitate to intensify its crackdown?—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Most hotels sit behind the main road, often thronged with tourists and traffic noise, but the Regent Shanghai on the Bund gives guests great views without the fuss.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 June 2026
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After 90 years and 900 barns, people continue to arrive to see what the fuss is all about, making its advertising a story unto itself, a milepost of the road-trip journey.—
Judith Garrison,
AJC.com,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Gives me the shivers every time.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
-
Economic shivers give both the fits, and a pressured consumer has both well in the red so far this year.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Enjoy the Games Fortunately, Serrian said, the human mind is pretty good at picking up where less-than-perfect TVs falter.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
12 June 2026
-
Had the 747 project faltered, Boeing would likely have gone down with it.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Rhodes celebrated with the crowd at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, while Gunther walked back up the entrance ramp in a huff.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
-
David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There will be blood, sweat and tears on players’ soccer jerseys at the World Cup — and plenty of deeper cultural and historical meaning too.—
Steve Douglas,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
-
The one win on the Twins was pretty sweat-free and no issues.—
David Troy,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dither. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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