as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the dawdling pace of the movie was really making us restless
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loafing
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dawdling
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdling
Adjective
-
Drip coffee and pour-overs are closest to the leisurely style enjoyed in Ethiopia, whereas Italian espresso culture was designed to create a more rapid approach.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Bedoya said the residence is dubbed Asolare, which in Italian means to pass time in a delightful, leisurely way.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Host Jimmy Kimmel milked the moment, delaying confirming that their answer was correct for a very tense minute.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Boys may experience greater benefits from delaying their start date compared to girls, said Ioakim Boutakidis, professor of child and adolescent studies at Cal State Fullerton.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Understand the difference between roosts, feeds, and loafing spots.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The slow start that Mayfield is alluding to has to do with the Buccaneers only scoring two field goals through the first half, and scoring their first touchdown well into the third quarter.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Construction in the section of Jackson Park, often described as Chicago’s equivalent of Central Park, has been slow.—
Christine Valora,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Violet Affleck, the eldest daughter of A-listers Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, is sounding the alarm on the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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Repressed and lingering scars from childhood can certainly cause pain for entire communities and be a catalyst for terrible and reprehensible behaviors.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The filtration system must be robust enough to perform under stop-and-go driving, prolonged idling and urban pollution while also remaining effective between filter replacements.—
Anan Bishara,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Avoid excessive idling and do not top off when refueling motor vehicles.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At the time, officials concluded that a few mussels likely hitched a ride on a boat that had been in another infested area, most probably one of the Great Lakes in the Midwest, which are crawling with the critters.—
Shaun McKinnon,
AZCentral.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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Tyriq Withers plays a rising quarterback who, in one skin-crawling scene — spoiler alert!—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And for off-duty days, fleece joggers make the ideal cozy piece for lounging at home or heading out on a coffee run.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Even the arm and backrests are adjustable to provide the maximum amount of comfort while lounging.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdling. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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