DAWDLES Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

dawdles

verb

present tense third-person singular of dawdle

as in lingers

to move or act slowly if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lazes

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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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 Koreeda dawdles over all that without ever finding much dramatic nuance, making for a dullish midsection. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdles

Verb

If a strange new scent appears or concern lingers, Harvard Health advises talking to a doctor.

— Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026
In the scene, Simon’s family speaks Kreyòl — although to varying degrees of proficiency — and the camera lingers on the Haitian feast presented on the table.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of lingers

Verb

As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.

— Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.

— Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025

Definition of idles

Verb

Fat actually delays gastric emptying and digestion even more, keeping blood sugar much steadier.

— Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2026
Tennis has always been highly dependent on the weather; unlike in soccer or football, rain cancels or delays a match until the court is dry enough to be playable.

— Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of delays

Verb

The intimate spa offers a number of different treatments and beauty rituals, but the standout one is Oro di Amalfi, an exclusive massage with natural lemon oils that relaxes and stimulates the chakras.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
What causes snoring in the first place Most snoring comes down to what happens inside the airway once the body relaxes.

— Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of relaxes

Verb

Republicans have expressed growing pessimism about their chances in the election, which will determine control of Congress, as the president has repeatedly dismissed concerns about high costs and gas prices as his unpopular war in Iran drags on.

— MICHELLE L. PRICE, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
In it, a botched secret mission drags Eken Babu into a mystery in Kerala.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of drags

Verb

As Berg explained, the key to the players’ theory rests on signing away their rights to the NCAA.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Dyson’s reputation rests on reengineering mundane household products (vacuums, hair dryers and fans) around proprietary tech and premium pricing.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of rests

Verb

There’s also a less than 10% chance of showers, if one of the hurricanes crawls farther up the coast, according to Wofford.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of crawls

Verb

Over the course of Next Gen NYC’s season, which ended this past week, the model Ava Dash grabs a slice of pizza on Fulton Street; strolls through the Seaport; and calls her father, the hip-hop mogul Damon Dash, from a bench at Pier 17.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 Sep. 2026
Pawlikowski, surveying the city, came across a graveyard that was adorned with old statues, worn by lichen and time; and that is where Erika strolls, seeking refuge, on a bright day.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of strolls

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“Dawdles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdles. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dawdles

verb

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