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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dawdle
But don’t dawdle too long: Mykonian nightlife is just minutes away.
—
Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 16 July 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 16 July 2025
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
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
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
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The Treasury has not set a date for when the final draft will be decided, but the government shutdown may delay a final decision.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Munich Airport in Germany briefly delayed the relaunch of flight operations on Saturday morning local time due to drone sightings, after previous UAV sightings earlier halted all traffic at the airport for several hours.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From this point of view, Xidan Books may seem to suffer from comparison with the Zhongshuge chain, whose outlets are drawing increasing numbers of Beijing readers thanks to interior design that catches the eye and spurs a desire to linger at length.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
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Some analysts predict the measures could push Tehran to take a tougher nuclear stance, but the lingering threat of US and Israeli attacks gives Iran’s leaders limited strategic flexibility.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Swift and Styles set tongues wagging after they were spotted by paparazzi strolling together in November 2012, and things seemed even more heated after they were photographed sharing some New Year’s Eve smooches the following month.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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At one point our conversation halts as Bailey gestures toward the window, where two men stroll past arm in arm.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Textured toys overhead amuse babies on their backs while musical toys entertain during tummy time and when learning to crawl.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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Teams have for days meticulously tunneled under the rubble, crawling on their hands and knees searching for signs of life, knowing the unstable structure could again buckle upon them.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While the site is idled, Olsen said, workers receive their normal paychecks, and some have undergone training to learn new skills.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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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
Verb
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With marker John McGinn behind him, the midfielder attempted to drag the ball back and evade the challenge.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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If the shutdown drags on for more than a few days, a report on inflation scheduled for mid-October could also be delayed.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of setting up a spot on the sand, beachgoers typically pitch their chairs in the shallow clear blue water and laze the day away.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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Conrad is literally ready to skip his whole Brussels conference in order to laze around in bed with Belly for the next several days, but Belly has cold feet.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That meant Hufanga spent a good chunk of the offseason not just learning a new system, but getting poked and prodded by his new coaches and running mate Jones.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
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The star compares calling out the sketch, which poked fun at her accent and teeth, to confronting a bully.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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