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
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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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dither
David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
And as the bodies pile up in the streets, the U.N. dithers with resolutions.
—Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, 3 Sep. 2023
Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2024
Charles is dithering along this week, and Anjou is still under house arrest.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dither 
Noun
Democrats are raising alarms that Vladimir Putin could advance on Kyiv while Congress dithers.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 15 Mar. 2024
And as the bodies pile up in the streets, the U.N. dithers with resolutions.
—Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, 3 Sep. 2023
Verb
Puerto Rico’s fate remains in the hands of Congress, which has dithered over the question of statehood for far too long.
—Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2024
Charles is dithering along this week, and Anjou is still under house arrest.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dither
Noun
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People who are impacted by natural disaster may feel a strong sense of grief, panic, loss, fear and sadness, according to the University of Houston's Department of Psychology.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
17 Jan. 2025
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By the end of the 90-minute debate, those who had been able to bear sticking around were in a panic.—
Annie Karni,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Such tools can be game-changers for individuals who, for any number of deeply human reasons, hesitate to seek care.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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But in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal , Warren Buffett’s middle child Howard, who will eventually become Berkshire’s nonexecutive chairman, hesitated when asked about Berkshire’s future dividend policy.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But there is no big fuss made for them, no extra support, just a gaggle of siblings walking out into a cold, stark parking lot to feel what must be every emotion imaginable, but certainly relief, heartbreak, and anger.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
27 Dec. 2024
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The last time Donald Trump was president, Republican lawmakers eliminated 15 rules with little fuss and not much publicity.—
Gord Magill,
Newsweek,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Her breaking point came during a task that repeatedly pulled the interlocked participants under frigid water: The soggy Sutter faltered when running from the beach with a 30-pound rucksack.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
16 Jan. 2025
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Over the course of the war, ceasefire negotiations have faltered at the eleventh hour on several occasions.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Volunteers were charged around 25 cents per huff, bringing in good profit for those who’d invested in the necessary gas tanks, tubes, and breathing bags.—
Oshan Jarow,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
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The huffs and hums, produced by two women standing face-to-face and vocalizing from their throats, is believed to be one of the oldest music forms in the world.—
Lale Arikoglu,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Aug. 2024
Noun
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The waggish jeer that subverts the Reich Chancellery, designed by Adolf Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, must have sent the woman who chastises children for flatulent folly into a tizzy.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes,
12 Jan. 2025
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When photos of Mangione hit social media, users across platforms went into a tizzy.—
Stephan Pechdimaldji,
Newsweek,
13 Dec. 2024
Noun
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By Jennifer Hussein 6 Best Cooling Weighted Blankets for Your Deepest Sleep Yet No sweat, all snooze.—
Meirav Devash,
Allure,
17 Jan. 2025
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The chemical makeup of ring around the collar is different from stains on the underarms of shirts, which are caused by a combination of sweat and the aluminum found in many deodorant and antiperspirant formulas.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dither. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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