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. bum
  5. drag
  6. idle
  7. poke
  8. relax
Verb
  • That James would also partner with Draymond Green, a former adversary, current friend and ally that delayed his free agency to give the Warriors additional cap space to secure James.
    — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • But the Mavericks would prefer to trade Thompson than buy him out, and that could delay or eliminate this option for Miami unless Thompson pushes for a buyout in the weeks ahead, something that remains a possibility.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 July 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • But, lucky for anyone who dawdled, many of the deals are still active.
    — Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 June 2026
  • No time to dawdle while finding your credit score!
    — Clio Chang, Curbed, 17 June 2026
Definition of dawdle
Verb
  • Lee’s elbow guard protected him from being hit directly on the bone, but Vitello said there was still some lingering soreness.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 July 2026
  • Some residents expressed concerns about pollution, the traffic congestion, the dangers of errant drivers around kids and the lingering aroma of frying food.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • I'mPhaedra Trethan, bummed out to hear one of my favorite baseball announcers has been let go in a round of ESPN layoffs.
    — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 21 July 2026
  • Great, for once the Leafs won’t bum me out!
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Definition of bum
Verb
  • Oil prices got back to jumping on Wednesday, while sinking technology stocks dragged Wall Street lower amid uncertainty about what the Federal Reserve will do to get high inflation under control.
    — Stan Choe, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • Iran war could drag on for months The US-Iran war will likely drag on for months, analysts predicted, as new strikes disrupted a tenuous pause and the conflict widened.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Without that off-ramp, builders would be forced to slash prices, threatening the equity held by recent buyers or to idle construction crews.
    — Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 27 July 2026
  • Bercich said the day the Metrodome roof caved in, Ryan’s car idled on the side of the road, unable to handle the onslaught of snow.
    — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Definition of idle
Verb
  • Defense attorneys Blair Berk and Marilyn Bednarski did their best to poke holes in all this testimony during cross examination, and even tried to slip in wholesome details like Burke’s religious upbringing.
    — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 22 July 2026
  • Instead, her dad looks under the table and sees a jumble of limbs with Chastain’s smiling face poking out at him.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 21 July 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • Most pregnant travelers are prioritizing things like comfort and accessibility as well opportunities to relax along the way.
    — Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • There is absolutely no wellspring of untapped energy in the country in favor of relaxing gun laws.
    — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 26 July 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 31 Jul. 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 comely

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All