Synonyms of shilly-shally

shilly-shally 1 of 3

verb

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

• hesitate
• falter
• vacillate
• scruple
• wait
• waver
• dither
• debate
• stagger
• halt
• pause
• balance
• hang back
• wobble
• dawdle
• delay
• procrastinate
• linger
• sway
• haw
• deliberate
• chicken (out)
• ponder
• hem
• teeter
• back down
• equivocate
• weigh
• oscillate
• consider
• pussyfoot
• hedge
• dally
• waffle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decide
• continue
• stir
• dive (in)
• plunge (in)
• advance
• budge

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

• delay
• linger
• drag
• poke
• crawl
• dawdle
• stroll
• loiter
• lollygag
• creep
• diddle
• mope
• tarry
• dillydally
• lag
• play
• mark time
• dally
• stall
• shuffle
• fall behind
• hang fire
• drop behind
• trifle
• lounge
• stagger
• idle
• temporize
• take one's time
• saunter
• amble
• fool around
• slow (down or up)
• procrastinate
• drag one's feet
• hang (around or out)
• fiddle (around)
• decelerate
• mess around
• plod
• monkey (around)
• loll
• loaf
• putter (around)
• potter (around)
• ease
• inch
• filibuster
• lumber

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurry
• course
• rush
• hasten
• scurry
• tear
• career
• race
• rocket
• fly
• speed
• whirl
• run
• rip
• scoot
• whisk
• dash
• breeze
• bolt
• scramble
• dart
• zip
• barrel
• hurtle
• hump
• hustle
• gallop
• whiz
• stampede
• scud
• hotfoot (it)
• trot
• run
• accelerate
• jog
• sprint
• quicken
• speed (up)
• bowl
• overtake
• outstrip
• outrun
• catch up
• outpace
• fast-forward

shilly-shally

2 of 3

noun

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

• hesitation
• hesitancy
• pause
• hesitance
• delay
• shilly-shallying
• vacillation
• indecision
• irresolution
• wavering
• deliberation
• uncertainty
• wobbling
• faltering
• fence-sitting
• waiting
• doubt
• reluctance
• procrastination
• hawing
• debate
• incertitude
• consideration
• indecisiveness
• second thought
• unwillingness
• indetermination
• arrière-pensée
• indisposition
• avoidance
• timidity
• uncertainness
• faintheartedness
• misgiving
• equivocation
• disinclination
• shyness
• timidness
• aversion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• resolution
• determination
• certainty
• confidence
• certitude
• firmness
• eagerness
• decisiveness
• resoluteness
• sureness
• readiness
• alacrity

shilly-shally

3 of 3

adjective

as in shilly-shallying

Related Words

• shilly-shallying
• ambivalent
• random
• hesitating
• haphazard
• shaky
• stray
• aimless
• wavering
• vacillating
• desultory
• scattered
• arbitrary
• unreliable
• untrustworthy
• slapdash
• dicey
• erratic
• undependable
• uncertain
• hit-or-miss
• volatile
• unpredictable
• variable
• irregular
• inconsistent
• capricious
• mercurial
• changeful
• mutable
• fickle
• changeable
• inconstant
• temperamental
• unstable
• fluctuating
• versatile
• protean
• skittish
• fluid
• mobile
• unsteady
• adaptable
• unsettled
• flickery

Dissimilar Words

• certain
• invariable
• constant
• steady
• predictable
• stable
• stationary
• unchangeable
• immutable
• unchanging
• even
• settled
• uniform
• unvarying
• permanent
• changeless
• persistent
• abiding
• sure
• durable
• lasting
• equable
• reliable
• true
• dependable
• trusty
• trustworthy
• tried
• tried-and-true

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