dally with
verb
dallied with; dallying with; dallies with
1
: to do or think about (something) in a way that is not serious
He's been dallying with the idea of running for office.
2
old-fashioned
: to have a casual romantic or sexual relationship with (someone)
a married man who has been dallying with another woman
Examples of dally with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jessica Chastain is icy as Jennifer, a wealthy socialite who dallies with and then falls for Fernando, a younger, undocumented Mexican ballet dancer played rather less expertly by Isaac Hernández.
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The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, a debonair and nonchalant judge, Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock), who has arranged George’s loan for the expensive property, is also dallying with Hedda and plots to use his influence—his power, rather—to tighten their extramarital bond.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
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The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, a debonair and nonchalant judge, Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock), who has arranged George’s loan for the expensive property, is also dallying with Hedda and plots to use his influence—his power, rather—to tighten their extramarital bond.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dally with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dally%20with. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
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