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
-
Defenses applied the same concepts, too, emphasizing full-court pressure, which delays the opposing attack.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026 -
The order specifically delays a 30% duty on upholstered furniture and 50% levy on kitchen cabinets and vanities, keeping in place a 25% tariff on those goods that was imposed back in September.—
Sean Conlon,Fred Imbert,
CNBC,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Nearly every sound lingers like an unanswered question, and the scant bass drums that appear in most tracks are less for keeping time than providing anchor points in an inestimable nebula.—
Dash Lewis,
Pitchfork,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Drought lingers statewide, and Monroe’s water supply is down to about six months, officials said in an online statement Wednesday.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The scenes that work less well and seem virtually superfluous are those with Kumail Nanjiani as Adeel, an environmental activist who drags Aaron along with him to break into a fracking site that is disturbing the breeding ground of…the sage grouse.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The agent sprays Pretti with a chemical irritant and drags him to his knees as Pretti pulls at the backpack of the other bystander, potentially reaching for a water bottle.—
Thomas Bordeaux,
CNN Money,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After a very chilly start to the day, with many spots in North Texas dipping into the 20s during the morning, our southerly flow kicks back in, which will lead to a steady warming trend over the next several days.—
McKenna King,
CBS News,
15 Dec. 2025
-
Additionally, Zendaya's Rue Bennett sits in church pews, Schafer's Jules Vaughn kicks back in an art studio and Apatow's Lexi Howard appears to be in the same location as Demie's Perez.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
23 Jan. 2026
-
In the video, the coyote crawls out of the water and struggles to get his footing once on the rocks.—
Amanda Hari,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Partnerships deserve thoughtfulness as romantic Venus pokes jolly Jupiter, activating your 7th House of Connections and your 12th House of Karma.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Is every head that pokes in to look at me actually Frank himself?—
Shane Kowalski,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.—
Kristin Braswell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The hot air just hangs about, causing the dish to cook unevenly with some spots nearly raw and others burnt.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The proposal rests on the false premise that allowing corporate investors to own and subsequently rent out homes is a major driver of high home prices.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Opened last fall, the resort rests where three ecosystems collide—the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Plateau, and the Great Basin—creating scenery that feels somewhat otherworldly.—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
