dillydally

verb

ˈdi-lē-ˌda-lē How to pronounce dillydally (audio)
Definition of dillydallynext
1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly don't dillydally on the way to the store

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydally
  1. delay
  2. dawdle
  3. linger
  4. idle
  5. drag
  6. bum
  7. poke
  8. relax
Verb
  • Walter Mischel, a psychologist who taught at Stanford and Columbia, conducted some of the most famous studies on delaying gratification in the late 1960s and 1970s.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Parents who addressed the board on Thursday urged the district to delay the vote and take more time to review logistics.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • Gvardiol looked jittery early on, rallied a little to break up some dangerous Porto attacks, but then started giving the ball away again and was booked for a needless pull after being caught dawdling in possession.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Don’t dawdle, though, as the air temperature in the room or your warm hand on the glass can transfer their thermal energy to melt the rest of the ice and then begin to raise the temperature of your drink!
    — Matthew Koss, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of dawdle
Verb
  • But one of them, perhaps too slow, or too confused, lingered a second longer, and the claw opened and snapped shut.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • As the duo row through pitch-black darkness toward the flame, John experiences harrowing visions of his father and of his younger self, revealed to be an effect of the fear toxin lingering in the air.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • Diesel engine idling and high-risk industrial activity across the street from homes and parks would bring air, noise and light pollution.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
  • And Rovell quickly discovered Kobe’s mind was incapable of idling, even during dead-of-night text exchanges.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of idle
Verb
  • Both buyers and sellers remain trapped in a wait and see stance, further dragging on a US housing market that has been stagnant for nearly four years.
    — , CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Many outside analysts think that the conflict will drag on for longer and end with negotiations rather than with a clear winner.
    — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • The joy Lisa has with her RHUGT cast compared with the dread her RHOSLC cast seems to bring her really bums me out — especially because of how much of this trip is championing the sisterhood of Housewives.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • My conversation partner returned, somehow unable to bum even a single cigarette from anyone at this party.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 July 2026
Definition of bum
Verb
  • Sometimes only the tips of the reeds and the seed heads were visible, poking above the murky water, and other times the reeds stood fully exposed, with a clear view of crabs clambering around their bases.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Video posted to social media showed one car nearly submerged, with just its sunroof poking above the water, as people moved other vehicles farther from the rising tides.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • The third, Surrender, is a massage performed in water, in which the buoyancy and warmth allow the body to completely relax and let go.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Because of the data center being built in his backyard, Butters’ television loses power constantly, leaving him unable to relax and watch his beloved videos.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of relax

Browse Nearby Words

dillydallies
dillydally
dillydallying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of adventitious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All