as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the dillydallying congress hadn't passed any legislation, and the term was almost over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dawdling
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydallying
Adjective
-
In 1943, Shalit headed to the University of Illinois and took a leisurely six years to earn his degree.—
Chris Koseluk,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2026 -
That leisurely pace would lead only to more murder, and more assassinations.—
Wesley Morris,
New York Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
If there are no seats, there’ll be no place to put sick passengers and the train will have to stay in the station, delaying the system.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
-
From stunting and weakening plant growth to delaying flower production, these 1/10th-inch-long pests can wreak havoc.—
Abby Monteil,
The Spruce,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, Ederson has moments where he can be caught dawdling with the ball, hoping for an opening that doesn’t always arrive.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Dems slow to embrace data center resistance McMillan Cottom suggested that no public officials on the right or the left have perfected their messaging to align with anti-data center sentiments.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
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Eating a donut earlier in the day is easier on your body than eating it at night when insulin sensitivity and metabolism slow.—
Brandi Jones,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Inventories are unlikely to fully rebuild given the scale of draws in the first half-year and ongoing government stockpiling, the bank said, while lingering geopolitical risk premium would keep a floor under prices.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
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Southern Living also noted that local tourism officials are encouraging visitors to return to the region, as many businesses remain open and rely on tourism dollars despite lingering perceptions that the area is still closed following Hurricane Helene.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Last week's sell-off was triggered on Wednesday by idling – though robust – revenue projections from chipmaker Broadcom and may have been exacerbated by a call from artificial intelligence startup Anthropic for the sector to slow down its pace of advancements .—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
9 June 2026
-
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
Verb
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Mbappé has already been a hero for his country, winning the World Cup in 2018 and scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final while almost dragging his team to an unlikely defense of the title.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
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Avoid activities that could create a spark, including campfires, outdoor burning and dragging trailer chains.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The large private compound boasts a gym, a spa, a theater, a pool, a large terrace for lounging and barbecuing, and a personal-size soccer field.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
11 June 2026
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Especially in this trending barrel style, these sweatpants seamlessly upgrade any airport or lounging outfit with a fashion-forward edge that doesn’t sacrifice comfort.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dillydallying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydallying. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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