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Synonym Chooser

How is the word dawdle different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of dawdle are dally, delay, lag, loiter, and procrastinate. While all these words mean "to move or act slowly so as to fall behind," 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

Where would dally be a reasonable alternative to dawdle?

The words dally and dawdle can be used in similar contexts, but dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

When might delay be a better fit than dawdle?

The meanings of delay and dawdle largely overlap; however, delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

In what contexts can lag take the place of dawdle?

While in some cases nearly identical to dawdle, lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

When is procrastinate a more appropriate choice than dawdle?

The synonyms procrastinate and dawdle are sometimes interchangeable, but procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dawdle 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 According to PitchBook, venture capital deals dawdled in 2024—fewer funding deals took place, but those that did tended to have higher valuations. Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Players dawdled on the ball in key moments, hesitant to make mistakes. Carl Anka, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025 Past Republican presidents were content to dawdle on tax cuts and entitlement reform, but Trump, understanding that the values of America are communicated through its art and entertainment, has instead sought to impose his fairly common and generally decent tastes on popular culture. Peter Tonguette, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
  • After lightning delayed kickoff for an hour, Colleyville Heritage (1-1) fell behind quickly in a back-and-forth game.
    Jordan Neal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2025
  • In the last few years, Beyoncé, Pink, and Noah Kahan, among others, have had concerts canceled or delayed by extreme lightning, rain, or wildfire smoke.
    David Browne, Rolling Stone, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Yet Harris lingers near the top of the 2028 Democratic presidential contenders in most polling because the party lacks viable alternatives with comparable name identification.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • This effortless touchpoint builds trust, catches lingering issues and creates loyal advocates who feel truly valued.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Adults can stroll the grounds sipping beer and wine, which are sold on site.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Officers stroll the streets of Beijing with Motorola walkie talkies.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And to get there, visitors will have to make their way through scare zones brimming with crawling monsters and roaring chainsaws.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Insects crawled through clinical areas, and staff food was stored alongside medical supplies.
    Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • For example, students in Australia led a successful initiative to improve air quality around their schools by having parents cut down on engine idling time.
    Ana Santos Rutschman, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
  • When a motivated consumer still feels unconvinced, the market is idling in the wrong gear.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This is not about dragging NATO into war.
    David A. Deptula, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • After being struck from behind, he was dragged to the ground and mauled him, with other lions joined in, per Khaosod English.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Located on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos is a great destination to laze about beachside or go on a deep-sea excursion.
    Essence, Essence, 25 Aug. 2025
  • And poor, engine‑damaging quality or not, the ersatz aviation fuel had to work only once to get a kamikaze plane up and away to hit one of the enemy warships now lazing about in the offing around the Home Islands, often close enough to be spotted from shore with the naked eye.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Stars not just in front of, but within the dusty nebula, poke through all but the densest gas.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 8 Sep. 2025
  • In July 2024, Thompson's daughter Gaia shared a cheeky post on her Instagram Stories poking fun at 2023's Barbie movie's tagline — and Thompson's ex, Kenneth Branagh.
    Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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