informal
: a very nervous, confused, or excited state
—usually used in the phrase in a dither
They're in a dither over what to do next.
The news of his arrival had us (all) in a dither.
dithers; dithered; dithering
informal
: to delay taking action because you are not sure about what to do
We don't have time to dither.
She did not dither about/over what to do next.
Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/dither. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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