dawdle

verb

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daw·dle | \ ˈdȯ-dᵊl

dawdled; dawdling\ ˈdȯ-dliŋ

, -dᵊl-iŋ \

Definition of dawdle

intransitive verb

1 : to spend time idly … dawdled about in the vestibule …— Jane Austen

2 : to move lackadaisically "I don't want you dawdling while you making deliveries for Mrs. Ford."— Connie Porter

transitive verb

: to spend fruitlessly or lackadaisically dawdled the day away

Other Words from dawdle Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About dawdle

Choose the Right Synonym for dawdle

delay, procrastinate, lag, loiter, dawdle, dally mean to move or act slowly so as to fall behind. delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure). we cannot delay any longer procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy. procrastinates about making decisions lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others. lagging behind in technology loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time. loitered at several store windows children dawdling on their way home from school dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary. stop dallying and get to work

Examples of dawdle in a Sentence

Hurry up! There's no time to dawdle. Come home immediately after school, and don't dawdle.

Recent Examples on the Web Don’t dawdle, though, because places are expected to book up fast. — Susan Dunne, courant.com, 28 Mar. 2022 The team couldn’t dawdle because the dolphins might not stay long. — Jill Langlois, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Mar. 2022 We are rushed through the establishment of this world, only to dawdle as time goes by. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 23 Dec. 2021 Building for the future was too precious to dawdle. — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 9 Aug. 2021 Pick a base and branch out or mix and match, but don’t dawdle. — David Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021 Pick a base and branch out or mix and match, but don’t dawdle. — David Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021 Pick a base and branch out or mix and match, but don’t dawdle. — David Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021 Pick a base and branch out or mix and match, but don’t dawdle. — David Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dawdle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.