as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the homeowner is claiming that local firefighters were dilatory in responding to the call
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Recent Examples of dilatory
And some parents-to-be, either superstitious or simply dilatory, hesitate to purchase baby items far in advance.
—
New York Times, 29 Dec. 2021
What makes this dilatory pace unfathomable is that Democrats know the disastrous implications of the loss of a single Senate seat in the midst of a legislative battle.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 27 Oct. 2021
Near the end of the meeting on Tuesday, Allard stopped testimony by raising a point of information and asking a series of procedural questions, a move LaFrance said was dilatory.
—Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Oct. 2021
So Davies gets it right that government decisions, and industry’s dilatory response, have driven the development of EV technology.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
See All Example Sentences for dilatory
New York Times, 29 Dec. 2021
What makes this dilatory pace unfathomable is that Democrats know the disastrous implications of the loss of a single Senate seat in the midst of a legislative battle.
—Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 27 Oct. 2021
Near the end of the meeting on Tuesday, Allard stopped testimony by raising a point of information and asking a series of procedural questions, a move LaFrance said was dilatory.
—Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Oct. 2021
So Davies gets it right that government decisions, and industry’s dilatory response, have driven the development of EV technology.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
See All Example Sentences for dilatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilatory
Adjective
-
Jodie Foster steps out after enjoying a leisurely brunch with her wife at Café Cluny in New York City on May 27.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
-
Acceleration is leisurely, however, even for this group of cars.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Recovery of the bodies has been slow because of the chemicals and other hazards present at the site, Amos explained.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
One of the most painful things about this disease is knowing that promising treatments are emerging, but funding barriers and manufacturing and procedural slow-downs continue to derail progress.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilatory. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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