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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The Treasury has not set a date for when the final draft will be decided, but the government shutdown may delay a final decision.—
Jessica Coacci,
Fortune,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Munich Airport in Germany briefly delayed the relaunch of flight operations on Saturday morning local time due to drone sightings, after previous UAV sightings earlier halted all traffic at the airport for several hours.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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From this point of view, Xidan Books may seem to suffer from comparison with the Zhongshuge chain, whose outlets are drawing increasing numbers of Beijing readers thanks to interior design that catches the eye and spurs a desire to linger at length.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
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Some analysts predict the measures could push Tehran to take a tougher nuclear stance, but the lingering threat of US and Israeli attacks gives Iran’s leaders limited strategic flexibility.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Is there some reason to postpone or dawdle on aiming for better for Milwaukee kids?—
Alan J. Borsuk,
jsonline.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That meant Hufanga spent a good chunk of the offseason not just learning a new system, but getting poked and prodded by his new coaches and running mate Jones.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
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The star compares calling out the sketch, which poked fun at her accent and teeth, to confronting a bully.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Democrats’ most visible strategy appears to be trying to bum a few bucks from the grassroots—when the grassroots’ greatest power is in protest, boycott, and other unified mobilization efforts.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Alabama gave Georgia its first home loss in six years with a 24-21 constriction; Oregon rode a pair of Moores (Dante and Dakorien) to bum out Happy Valley in extra time.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Textured toys overhead amuse babies on their backs while musical toys entertain during tummy time and when learning to crawl.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
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Teams have for days meticulously tunneled under the rubble, crawling on their hands and knees searching for signs of life, knowing the unstable structure could again buckle upon them.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While the site is idled, Olsen said, workers receive their normal paychecks, and some have undergone training to learn new skills.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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The filtration system must be robust enough to perform under stop-and-go driving, prolonged idling and urban pollution while also remaining effective between filter replacements.—
Anan Bishara,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With marker John McGinn behind him, the midfielder attempted to drag the ball back and evade the challenge.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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If the shutdown drags on for more than a few days, a report on inflation scheduled for mid-October could also be delayed.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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