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
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Wembanyama has allowed Robinson to delay his decision-making.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
The game was delayed 1 hour, 7 minutes due to rain and lightning.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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But behind the courteous gesture, there are lingering concerns of how overtourism might impact Ishigaki’s rich natural environment and potentially overwhelm its infrastructure, concerns that extend to other neighboring remote islands.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
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Many guests and patrons are regulars, lingering over martinis as a fireplace crackles in the background.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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But Koreeda dawdles over all that without ever finding much dramatic nuance, making for a dullish midsection.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 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
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The weakness spread across the sector, dragging the VanEck Semiconductor ETF down more than 1%, while Arm Holdings lost over 4% and Micron Technology slid nearly 8%.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
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Before long, security surrounded the former fan favorite and dragged him out of the arena in handcuffs as stunned fans watched.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Some were drawn first to the language and its interna ideo, only to later realize the travel benefits involved; others had learned the language specifically to bum around.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
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That means, as some critics of the ban have pointed out, that 18-year-olds will almost certainly bum cigarettes from older friends—the same way younger teens have acquired them since time immemorial.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Millions and millions of people tuned in to watch Johnny Carson poke fun at everyone, identify and support up-and-coming comics, entertain with clever and timeless skits, bring on musical guests and tell jokes.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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Even Parsons himself poked fun at such notions.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The problem is that powering up the engines, idling them, and then using their massive power just to trundle around the tarmac is scarcely economical.—
David Szondy
June 07,
New Atlas,
7 June 2026
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Hardy reportedly kept production stalled by staying in his trailer for hours at a time, often leaving co-stars Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren idle on set.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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While some political observers are brushing off speculation that a deluge of ballots could allow Steyer to crawl into the top two, conservative activists are keeping a close watch.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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The next day, with water levels having dropped inside the cave, the remaining four men caught rescuers by surprise, crawling out on their own just as divers were getting ready to go in and get them.—
Janis Mackey Frayer,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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