1
as in to play
to engage in activity for amusement
he spent his college years dallying, seemingly determined to acquire as little knowledge as possible
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2
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
don't dally on the way to the interview
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3
as in to flirt
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house
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4
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
I kept dallying at my desk until I couldn't put off doing my work any longer
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dally
With the ball loose in midfield, Southampton’s Flynn Downes dallied on the halfway line, stuck in two minds over whether to push to win possession or retreat into his own half.
—
Elias Burke, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
As is so often the case for Hong, his latest is a gentle, hypnotically watchable film that breezes by as Iris does herself, dallying around Seoul in a loose summer dress and her striking bright-green cardigan.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 21 Nov. 2024
This is no time for the dilly-dallying dog days of August.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
The Dodgers were dallying in Scott's trade market before he was sent to the San Diego Padres along with reliever Bryan Hoeing for four minor league players.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dally
Elias Burke, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
As is so often the case for Hong, his latest is a gentle, hypnotically watchable film that breezes by as Iris does herself, dallying around Seoul in a loose summer dress and her striking bright-green cardigan.
—David Opie, IndieWire, 21 Nov. 2024
This is no time for the dilly-dallying dog days of August.
—Tim Britton, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024
The Dodgers were dallying in Scott's trade market before he was sent to the San Diego Padres along with reliever Bryan Hoeing for four minor league players.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dally
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dally
Verb
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His input on the pitch isn’t only limited to the left wing, as, unlike Williams, Rashford can play all three positions across the front line while providing a good alternative to the aging Robert Lewandowski.—
Tom Sanderson,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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Checking these crooked politicians who ain’t playing fair/ Shut up!—
Anna Chan,
Billboard,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Each time a child left, the emotional toll was unbearable, and the sadness lingered long after they were gone.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
27 June 2025
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However, there are lingering threats of electronic interference that can impact a ship’s navigation systems with high levels reported during dark periods, JMIC says.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Cardamom takes over the second verse, rhyming in a mesh of languages in a video which stars him and HAB flirting and dancing around with Queen of Katwe star Lupita Nyong’o.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
17 June 2025
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Running back With Mallory already committed to UM but flirting with Alabama, the Canes could end up adding two other backs.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2025
Verb
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So far, the administration has ended or delayed nearly 2,500 NIH grants, including some related to researching blood glucose.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2025
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Service businesses face real-time cost pressures that cannot be warehoused or delayed.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
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As if aware that engaging plot is not the story’s strongest suit, Nicholaw keeps his foot on the accelerator throughout, making sure nothing and no one dawdles as the production hurtles from one incident to the next.—
David Benedict,
Variety,
24 June 2025
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Some of this feels more like dawdling: What's the point of Stick's cynical old buddy (Marc Maron) getting trapped under a fold-out bed?—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Tense scenes played out in the chamber as voting came to a standstill, dragging on for hours as holdout senators huddled for negotiations.—
Lisa Mascaro,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
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Voting had come to a standstill, dragging for more than three hours, with holdout senators huddling for negotiations and taking private meetings off the Senate floor.—
Ani Freedman,
Fortune,
29 June 2025
Verb
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That new boom idled for a decade until Vladimir Putin created a commodities frenzy by invading Ukraine, one of the world’s most important ag exporters.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2025
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Port roads jammed with diesel trucks, oil refineries processing fuel, ships idling to be unloaded, make for some of the worst air in the state.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2025
Verb
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The next day, at 9:10 p.m., Boelter crawled out of a wooded area and surrendered to law enforcement.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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To make the stakes even higher, Player 39 crawls to the edge after the round ends.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dally. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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