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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Two weeks ago, flights in the DC metro region were delayed due to a strong chemical odor at the Potomac TRACON.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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The incident triggered ground stops, with flights delayed or held for extended periods.—
De'Anthony Taylor,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The primary suite is described as storage-rich and spa-like, with multiple closets and a bath built for lingering.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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But Paddack won’t let the sting linger.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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My request to ownership is don’t dawdle.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That said, its opposition to severe Pluto presses against your dependable 6th house, potentially dragging you away from rest.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
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The Transportation Security Administration may have to shut down operations at some airports if the budget impasse drags on, the agency’s acting head said yesterday, even as record wait times for travelers did little to end the standoff over the funding fight in Congress.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Spring cleaning bumming you out?—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
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Action that doesn't get exhausting, humor that isn't repetitive and drama that won't bum you out, these shows go down easy and keep you hungry for more.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And time is running out before teams begin poking and prodding at the puzzle, trying to find ways to break it apart.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Finding shooters in the corner, using Oldacre and Cunningham or the open person can be a way for Texas to poke holes in Michigan's defense.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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What was supposed to be an uneventful first voyage transporting oil across the Persian Gulf has turned into a nightmare for a 28-year-old sailor from India, who has spent the past month stuck as his ship sits idled by the Iran war.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
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But even Japan, which idled all its plants after that disaster, is restarting its nuclear plants.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But they are really designed and developed to crawl over and destroy everything.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
26 Mar. 2026
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Maritime trade is crawling at Georgia’s ports, but the state authority that operates the nation’s third-busiest cargo terminals isn’t throttling back its expansion efforts.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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