shilly-shally 1 of 3

verb

Definition of shilly-shallynext
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

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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

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shilly-shally

3 of 3

adjective

as in shilly-shallying

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
  1. hesitate
  2. delay
  3. hesitation
  4. ambivalent
  5. falter
  6. linger
  7. hesitancy
  8. random
Verb
  • In the front seat of Red Bull’s car, Lodewyck did not hesitate.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • While the environment and systems have evolved and data has increased, organizations still hesitate when decisions must be made.
    — Jorge Couto, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of hesitate
Verb
  • That James would also partner with Draymond Green, a former adversary, current friend and ally that delayed his free agency to give the Warriors additional cap space to secure James.
    — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • But the Mavericks would prefer to trade Thompson than buy him out, and that could delay or eliminate this option for Miami unless Thompson pushes for a buyout in the weeks ahead, something that remains a possibility.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
Definition of delay
Noun
  • Decisiveness looks like strength, and hesitation looks like weakness.
    — Alfonso Cahero, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • Without any hesitation, Martineau said her favorite food item is fennel & orange salad.
    — Sarah Kyrcz, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026
Definition of hesitation
Adjective
  • Overall, watching my previously ambivalent friends and family members really gain a new appreciation for this sport during this World Cup.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • American statesmen have always found France an ambivalent ally, but as much because of their own behavior as that of their counterparts.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026
Definition of ambivalent
Verb
  • Last year, in the middle of a hot, brutal, economically challenging season that saw many Miami restaurants falter and diners grow wary of spending, Hiyakawa in Wynwood decided to make a temporary change.
    — Connie Ogle July 30, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
  • Doing so is quite handy because conventional LLMs are not very good at dealing with tabular or spreadsheet data (regular LLMs tend to falter or fail when analyzing such data).
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of falter
Verb
  • Lee’s elbow guard protected him from being hit directly on the bone, but Vitello said there was still some lingering soreness.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 July 2026
  • Some residents expressed concerns about pollution, the traffic congestion, the dangers of errant drivers around kids and the lingering aroma of frying food.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of linger
Noun
  • Even though The Fool has forward momentum, like Plath, that momentum can lead to hesitancy — one step in the wrong direction, and The Fool falls off the cliff.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • If the primary conversation around wide releases this year is that it’s been mostly the risks reaping rewards, this hesitancy around sending films to festivals is not really serving anyone seeking to win an Academy Award.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 23 July 2026
Definition of hesitancy
Adjective
  • One control heats the ions by applying random electric-field signals that add vibrational energy.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
  • Every piece of content must serve as a culturally relevant entry point that accumulates brand equity, especially when day-to-day audience engagement can be largely random.
    — Stefano Marrone, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of random
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.

Browse Nearby Words

shilly-shallies
shilly-shally
shilly-shallying
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Cite this Entry

“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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