1
as in delays
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hangs (around or out)
to spend time doing nothing
restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydallies
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
-
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
-
The insurance company may then delay or deny the request, which kicks back the paperwork to the doctor’s office and starts the entire process all over again.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Impressionistic lyrics would fit this stuff, but Le Bon pokes the spacious haze with direct evocations of love and heartbreak.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The track pokes fun at consumerism and a materialistic society constantly seeking the next best thing, a theme that remains relevant nearly 45 years later.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If the shutdown drags on for more than a few days, a report on inflation scheduled for mid-October could also be delayed.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In a letter to agencies last week, the budget office instructed them to prepare for possible layoffs if the impasse drags on.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In the second photo, Gomez rests her left hand on her new husband's, her marquise diamond engagement ring glinting in the light.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Total enrollment for the district rests at 2,294 according to state data from the 2024-25 school year.—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fans of the stage show know the second act is a pivotal moment for Fiyero and, by extension, the man who plays him.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
-
And Kirsten Dunst plays Leigh Wainscott, the Charlotte mom Manchester dated while hiding out off Independence Boulevard.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Dillydallies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydallies. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share