1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dillydally
There was the tapping of the top of the bat to his toes, scribbling in the dirt, adjusting his gloves and swiping his shoulder, among other displays of dillydallying.
—
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydally
Verb
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Production began in early 2024 after being delayed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Trump has frequently used tariffs as part of foreign policy negotiations in his second term, but many of them were reduced or delayed.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Violet Affleck, the eldest daughter of A-listers Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, is sounding the alarm on the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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Repressed and lingering scars from childhood can certainly cause pain for entire communities and be a catalyst for terrible and reprehensible behaviors.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
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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
Verb
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Schneemann poked a single into right field to bring home both Hedges and Kwan.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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While some are panicking about the potential event, others are poking fun at the prediction.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That’s what was bumming him out.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
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To be this close over and over is really bumming me out.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
29 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
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At the time, officials concluded that a few mussels likely hitched a ride on a boat that had been in another infested area, most probably one of the Great Lakes in the Midwest, which are crawling with the critters.—
Shaun McKinnon,
AZCentral.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Avoid excessive idling and do not top off when refueling motor vehicles.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Wandering among the half naked nymphs and leering wolves and buff mermen poking their lovely wet heads out of glassy forest pools, their eyes dark with wanting to drag her down to oblivion.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
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The robber barons and telecom wildcatters borrowed to build their empires, and dragged their financiers down with them when the music stopped.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.
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