1
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
I didn't shilly-shally but instead raced to the hospital as soon as I heard the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
with dinner guests due in two hours, there was no time to shilly-shally in front of the TV set
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the construction project was once again delayed by the bureaucratic shilly-shally of regulatory agencies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shilly-shallying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
-
This creates bottlenecks, where employees hesitate to act without approval.—
Carlos Hoyos,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025 -
Inside Space Force: Here's What the New Agency Does To be sure, some countries may hesitate to align civilian space activities with a military alliance.—
Andrew Hanna,
Time,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
The source of hesitation is President Trump’s latest tariffs, which, as announced earlier this month, included a 46% tax on imports from Vietnam, the country’s eighth-largest trading partner.—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Studies show that financial trauma can lead to avoidance behaviors, chronic underinvestment, and hesitation in wealth-building strategies even among women who appear financially stable on paper.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Musk’s comments about his time allotment come just hours after a group of eight Democratic state treasurers wrote to the chair of Tesla’s board about the company’s faltering performance.—
Miranda Nazzaro,
The Hill,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The Business Drama: Volatility, Strategy, and Turnaround What followed was a decade of operational rework—sometimes faltering, sometimes brilliant.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
At least one legislator expressed hesitancy during a Senate committee vote Wednesday about the legislation’s expansive footprint.—
Christine Condon,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Concerns about data quality, compliance and the rapid pace of AI advancements have created hesitancy, particularly when AI is hastily deployed into customer-facing applications.—
Sumit Johar,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
What’s more, these narrators commonly achieve their spectral detachment only in the ambivalent or ruinous aftermath of procreation.—
Jordan Kisner,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2025
-
France has often been ambivalent — even resistant — toward the #MeToo movement.—
John Leicester,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The eye poke left Muhammad unable to continue, and the fight was ruled a no contest.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share