as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
fortunately, during the crisis there was no shilly-shallying on the part of the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ambivalent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in hesitating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shallying
Noun
-
This hesitation is likely due to concerns over potential legal liability if Trump reverses course and enforces the ban afterall.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025 -
Other high-profile candidates, it was noted, would have significant hesitation signing up to work with Poles as GM at all given his spotty track record in that role over three seasons.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Rasoulof seems ambivalent about the generational conflict between these dark-eyed, handsome people.—
Armond White,
National Review,
22 Jan. 2025
-
The president-elect’s allies appear similarly ambivalent.—
Oren Cass,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Participant hesitancy creates a real disadvantage when trying to communicate openly, develop an understanding of a person or situation, or negotiate effectively.—
Jason Foodman,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The timing of their pressing was off because of their hesitancy to press high.—
Charlotte Harpur,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Sunday will remain mild with highs near 52 and lingering rain chances.—
Nour Rahal,
Detroit Free Press,
24 Dec. 2024
-
In the days since, many people have reported unsafe road conditions and lingering snow — along with uncollected leaf piles from fall leaf collection that were scattered back onto their yards by the snowplows, the council members said.—
Maia Pandey,
Journal Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The result: The office tasked with managing the return to student loan repayment after a long pandemic pause, as well as the rollout of an overhauled FAFSA, was flat-funded for 2023.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
16 Jan. 2025
-
High-profile premieres have been canceled, and the city’s once-bustling red carpets are now on pause.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Go and read random slave narratives and get their experience of the time.—
David Marchese,
New York Times,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Oh, the third mode is a combination of both – sets of airbags inflate and deflate in seemingly random order – which has been perhaps my favorite setting.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Carter first saw the disease up close in 1988 while visiting a village in Ghana where nearly 350 people had worms poking through their skin.—
Sam Mednick,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Dec. 2024
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At its most basic, a poke cake is made by poking holes into a warm cake and pouring on a frosting or filling mixture.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Sahar Abi-Hassan, an assistant professor in political science at Northeastern University who studies the behavior of the Supreme Court, says the court might side with TikTok for several reasons, including its historical hesitance toward restricting speech.—
Lauren Feiner,
The Verge,
9 Jan. 2025
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Still, Zhu’s hesitance to speak about Shein’s exposure to Xinjiang at the hearing might have been born of pragmatic reasons, or perhaps even strategic ones.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Jan. 2025
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Thesaurus Entries Near shilly-shallying
Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shallying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallying. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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