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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
-
Dozens of state Democratic lawmakers staged a two-week walk out, fleeing Texas to temporarily delay the bill’s passage.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
25 Aug. 2025
-
The couple were engaged in 2016, but Harris said the the COVID-19 pandemic and fires that broke out through the Kelowna region in 2023 forced them to delay their plans for a wedding.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Indeed, Ederson has moments where he can be caught dawdling with the ball, hoping for an opening that doesn’t always arrive.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
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Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.—
Thomas Black,
Twin Cities,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Granted, none of them linger long enough to make a lasting impact, either.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
-
His latest album, Infinite Black Inside, is a thorough exploration of the ideas—evasive rhythmic switch-ups, jazz melodies, busy textural interactions—that have often lingered in the margins of his more functional output.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was bummed out by Tech’s decision.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
24 Oct. 2025
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If the idea of the show's comic relief being chained to a desk is bumming you out, allow co-creator David J. North to ease your mind.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Expectations of higher oil prices as the war drags on have kept long-term bond yields elevated, causing mortgage rates to mostly trend higher.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
Across a 90-foot wall at the Orlando Museum of Art, Tommerup assembled three monumental pyramids built from canvases dragged through the ocean and Biscayne Bay, dried in flowering trees and tossed from rooftops at dusk, surrendering part of the creative process to nature itself.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Recursive self-improvement will transform the domains that check themselves and idle everywhere else.—
Christian Catalini,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Last week's sell-off was triggered on Wednesday by idling – though robust – revenue projections from chipmaker Broadcom and may have been exacerbated by a call from artificial intelligence startup Anthropic for the sector to slow down its pace of advancements .—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Cloudy and rainy conditions prevail throughout the morning, then in the afternoon the sun pokes through with calm winds.—
Kendrick Calfee
June 16,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
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Cover the jar with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Every muscle in my body wanted to relax, give up, and go to sleep.—
Scott Einsmann,
Outdoor Life,
12 Dec. 2025
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Windows are outfitted with upholstered seating nooks to take them in, and bathrooms have retractable doors to make the skyline accessible while relaxing in the oversized soaking tubs.—
Amy Tara Koch,
Robb Report,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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