1
as in delays
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lazes
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
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 dawdles
But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.
—
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdles
Verb
-
These early shifts—less COVID vaccination; fewer options for flu, MMR, and chickenpox vaccines; and, perhaps soon, delays to the hepatitis-B schedule—may seem benign enough.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.—
Jeremy Tanner,
The Hill,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But above all, Fernández and El Mimoso’s voices shine extraordinarily beautifully, delivering a performance that lingers even after its final note.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The pick-off still lingers in Guerrero’s mind because of his teammate at the plate — the guy who’s been alongside him the whole time.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Linda also drags her daughter to a clinic for regular treatments, none of which seem to do any good.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The White House has also warned that federal workers will be fired, and floated the possibility of denying back pay to furloughed employees, if the shutdown drags on much longer.—
Kevin Breuninger,Erin Doherty,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The plaintiffs—three current students in Brooklyn yeshivas, their parents, and two former students—ask the courts to strike down a new law that relaxes oversight of nonpublic schools.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Also, closing your mouth a bit relaxes your jaw muscles and gives you more space back there.—
Elizabeth Cohen,
NBC news,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Arisu crawls onto a mound of rubble for momentary relief, and is met with an angry Banda.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Gameplay begins as the player crawls from the wreckage.—
G Kirilloff,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Amazon Speaker Deals The Amazon Echo Dot rests on my shelf and basically runs my life.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Moulton’s Senate primary rationale, stated or otherwise, rests on the enduring public image of former President Joe Biden, who withdrew from his 2024 reelection bid after a disastrous debate against Trump revealed limitations of being in office at age 82 and beyond.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a pair of promos shared to social media on Monday in support of her upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl (out Friday), the singer pokes some major fun at herself.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The trailer for Season 6 of Solar Opposites, released today, pokes fun of the show’s imminent end.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
More stories surely lurk within these labyrinthine hallways, and there could be no wittier, more charismatic guide than del Toro, who strolls and even dances through the movie with Zen grace.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the White Lotus actress, 31, strolls in a pair of silver flats.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdles. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share