shilly-shally 1 of 3

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shilly-shally

2 of 3

noun

shilly-shally

3 of 3

adjective

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
  • On 12 Pell’s lively social media accounts, the young, predominantly Asian American barbers don’t hesitate to offer advice to teens and men of all ages and ethnicities with humor, quips and confidence.
    Deepti Hajela, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
  • The challenge winner did not hesitate in telling the group of her decision, which was that Sam and Teeny would square off at fire and have an opportunity to fight for a chance to lose to Rachel at the end.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Halo Infinite was delayed a year and arrived with a somewhat underwhelming launch.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
  • Then, a calf contusion delayed the start to his rookie season.
    Hunter Patterson, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • This rare moment of hesitation from a man who is usually so sure-footed in the recording studio underscores the paradox of Edgar Barrera: a towering figure in Latin music who is most often behind the scenes.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Even after the invasion, the Biden administration’s assistance to Ukraine was beset by hesitation, needless restrictions, and endless deliberation.
    Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The rally comes as markets in Asia and Europe faltered on lackluster economic data from China and broader uncertainty about the global economic outlook.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Lindner also spoke ahead of Monday's vote, and blamed the coalition's downfall on its inability to come up with solutions to boost the country's faltering economy, which in turn alienated voters.
    H.J. Mai, NPR, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • There is lingering cold air in the eastern U.S., but it is expected to move out in the coming days.
    Marshall Shepherd, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
  • My only quibble with this adaptation is the pacing, which suffers thanks to a few unnecessary backstory additions and a few too many long, lingering shots and pregnant pauses that even mess up the flow of some iconic songs.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Even following such an uplifting and dominant win, Newcastle’s baffling, up-and-down campaign demands such hesitancy.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
  • While understandable, this hesitancy can hinder innovative solutions to the sector's challenges.
    Seth Darling, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • The first visit by a reigning monarch in 13 years has revived debate in Australia over whether a British royal should be head of state, although polling shows Australians remain ambivalent about becoming a republic.
    Reuters, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Israel and the West were long ambivalent about Assad's fate.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • For all the holes that will try to be poked in Penn State’s Playoff resume in the next week-plus, the reality is this group does a lot of things well.
    Audrey Snyder, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025
  • The following day, Wilson poked fun at herself on Instagram, posting a video of herself jumping up and down, dancing and squatting in a pair of brown bell-bottoms and a whole new show outfit.
    Lori A Bashian Fox News, Fox News, 30 Dec. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

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