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
-
Streaming shows — with their more leisurely pace and longer arcs — have simply been able to come by and iterate.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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Each suite has a double whirlpool tub, fireplace, refrigerator, private bathroom, and outdoor terrace for leisurely romantic homemade breakfasts that get delivered to your room.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
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The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dilatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilatory. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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