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
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Yet, the didn't appear to be the case for Colton, who hesitated to answer before last week's episode concluded.—
Dory Jackson,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025 -
Touching on directing and managing the top teams at Nudie Jeans, Levin doesn’t hesitate.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Broken cross-department collaboration exacerbates inefficiencies, delaying decision-making and execution.—
Joao Mendes-Roter,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
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Still, some who have been focused on TCE were surprised that the Trump administration was delaying and reconsidering the recent ban.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Issues related to social justice, politics, sustainability, and mental health regularly intersect with entertainment stories, placing celebrities under pressure to publicly take stances on divisive topics, often without room for error or hesitation.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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Consumer Confidence Is Still in Retreat Even as prices have started to ease, consumer hesitation lingers.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The New York Yankees are reeling from injuries but still figure to be a tough opponent, and the Baltimore Orioles, coming off a strong regular season last year, still have something to prove after faltering in the playoffs.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Falling sales indicate that the company's financial health is fundamentally faltering as competitors are surging, particularly rival BYD.—
Alan Ohnsman,
Forbes.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The whale lingers for a moment, and the video ends.—
Helena Wegner,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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After her mother's stroke, Keys said self-care meant taking her blood pressure medication, drinking water and lingering for a moment at the mailbox to take in the sunshine and feel the wind on her face.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In contrast, the ACC, long considered one of the premier basketball conferences, has had a down year, partly based on a hesitancy to embrace NIL.—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
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Gypsy-Rose Blanchard opened up about her hesitancy to marry Ken on 'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up', which airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime Comments Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is questioning where her relationship with Ken Urker is headed.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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With good reason, many European governments fear that the Trump administration is fundamentally ambivalent about the course of the war.—
Jack Watling,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Mar. 2025
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Thousands of actors have tackled the Bard's most tragic and ambivalent hero, but Laurence Olivier's eerie, atmospheric adaptation — the first major non-silent film version — makes the 400-year-old prince of Denmark seem devastatingly real.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mary Fowler momentarily looks down and holds up a very neat yellow square of knitting to the camera, two wooden needles poking out either side.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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During the incident, Konig also allegedly attempted to poke the woman with two syringes, Hawaii News Now reported, citing law enforcement sources.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
25 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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