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
-
More flights are likely to get delayed or canceled as the storm progresses.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on tariffs could be delayed until their next session on February 20, unless a rare special session is called.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Multiple royal watchers have claimed the prince has struggled to move beyond the fallout of his dramatic exit from royal life six years ago, citing professional setbacks and lingering personal tensions.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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This lingering becomes the sound of a book in a new room, opening, its music carried in a wind that crosses borders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 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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Reynolds said more than 100 tiny homes placed on the campus for veterans who had camped on nearby San Vicente Boulevard have proved to be difficult for those using wheelchairs and walkers, are subject to fire and are not suitable for stays that can drag on for months.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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In its short lifespan, the Outback Wilderness done its part to drag that toward the middle.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rittenhouse admits to initially being bummed out to not be the murderer, only to quickly come around to preferring this outcome.—
Derek Lawrence,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Jan. 2026
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I'mPhaedra Trethan, bummed out about the passing of Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Hadn’t poked my nose in anywhere, hadn’t seen anything, and just really enjoyed watching the film.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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And the Banchet’s executive director, Michael Muser, poked at food influencers, made fun of the rising popularity of alcohol-free wine and jabbed at some restaurants using AI for creating recipes.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Later, the women were in a idling vehicle when Brown allegedly left his Jeep, walked toward them and fired at the car, court records show.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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David McNew / Getty Images Marquez helped convert Pasadena's fire fleet to renewable diesel fuel so that his crews wouldn't keep breathing in the emissions from idling trucks.—
Kara Finnstrom,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Trying to make as little noise as possible, Kajumba would crawl into bed, crowded with hot limbs, and attempt to sleep.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Researchers found that increasing the finger count from three to five improved the hand’s crawling efficiency, but adding more beyond that resulted in diminishing returns.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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