1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
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2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
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Recent Examples of dawdle
Before building a vacuum train tube from L.A. to San Francisco, proponents must succeed with an 8-kilometer test track
Philip E. Ross
18 Dec 2015
8 min read
The Straight Road: Only when dawdling in the city can Hyperloop capsules handle more than a gentle curve.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 18 Dec. 2015
Instead, season three of The White Lotus dawdles too long, trying to save too much of the good stuff for the end.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
The showers are expected to dawdle in the area before exiting by early afternoon, the National Weather Service said in its forecast discussion.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
Federal officials have sometimes responded to adverse decisions with dawdling or grudging compliance.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
IEEE Spectrum, 18 Dec. 2015
Instead, season three of The White Lotus dawdles too long, trying to save too much of the good stuff for the end.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2025
The showers are expected to dawdle in the area before exiting by early afternoon, the National Weather Service said in its forecast discussion.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2025
Federal officials have sometimes responded to adverse decisions with dawdling or grudging compliance.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
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The execution was delayed from its anticipated time of 6 p.m. ET as the United States Supreme Court considered Hutchinson's final appeals.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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The shoot was planned for 2022; however, the production was delayed due to financing amid the pandemic and later, guild strikes.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
2 May 2025
Verb
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Dip the Blooms: Submerge the flowers in a bowl of cool water for a few seconds to rinse off any lingering ants.—
Anne Readel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2025
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For more than the past year, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has missed among the most votes of any senator, rarely attended committee hearings, and become increasingly isolated from his colleagues amid reports of lingering mental health troubles.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2025
Verb
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For a more cushioned New Balance option, consider the Fresh Foam 1080s, which Glamour contributor and marathoner Jenny McCoy swears by for both long-distance running and casual neighborhood strolling.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
1 May 2025
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His goal was to capture that throwback feeling of aimless summer days strolling down the boardwalk with the frozen snack in hand in his Lemon Italian Ice flavor.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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When the window broke, the bear crawled out safely and returned to the woods.—
Shyla Watson,
People.com,
10 May 2025
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Inspectors saw one rat crawling from the top equipment shelf in an unapproved back dry storage area onto the roof, and another rat on an electrical line behind a two-door household freezer/refrigerator in the same dry storage area.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
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What To Know To help reduce ozone formation, residents are encouraged to avoid idling in drive-thru lanes, and instead consider alternatives like sharing a ride or walking in.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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Stellantis has already begun idling plants in Windsor, Canada, and Toluca, Mexico that produce minivans and Jeeps.—
Roger Dooley,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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On the flip side, Jamal Murray dragged the Clippers for 43 points.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
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The officers then dragged Feliz out of his car, pulling his pants down and exposing his genitals in the process.—
Lourdes Rosado,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Some buildings have already collapsed, while the once picturesque boating lake, where couples could dreamily laze in the summer months, today carries hidden dangers to go with Ukraine’s ongoing war against Russia.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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About 73 percent of respondents say that rangefinders capable of lazing targets beyond 1,000 yards align with fair-chase considerations and support their use in hunting.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Several viewers have shared their own opinions on what the goldendoodle's decision to stay downstairs with the man means, while others have expressed how similarly their own pets behave, or poked fun at the viral moment, causing joy among viewers.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
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Pickard poked fun at himself late in the regular season for doing a double-pad stack in 2025.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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