dillydallying 1 of 2

adjective

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dillydallying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dillydally
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly don't dillydally on the way to the store

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydallying
  1. leisurely
  2. delaying
  3. dawdling
  4. slow
  5. lingering
  6. idling
  7. dragging
  8. lounging
Adjective
  • Nirmal Kumar, 44, a businessman, said what began as a leisurely trip descended into chaos within minutes as a storm lashed the boat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • With over 29,000 five-star ratings from nurses, teachers, and podiatrists alike, the Aerothotic Comfy Flip-flops deserve a spot in your suitcase this summer, no matter if your itinerary calls for leisurely walks by the pool or intensive hikes.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2026
Definition of leisurely
Verb
  • In May, the agency proposed delaying emission standards set to kick in for new light- and medium-duty cars and trucks starting with model year 2027.
    — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 9 July 2026
  • But, for older men with no pain or discomfort, doctors may suggest watchful waiting, delaying surgery until the need is clear.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
Definition of delaying
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
Definition of dawdling
Adjective
  • Still, as the game wore on to the waning moments, both teams were visibly sapped of energy and moving at a slower pace, including Haaland, who faded late in the game, was subbed out at the 105-minute mark and replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 12 July 2026
  • The question is whether the stock price leaves enough room if that recovery is slower, messier, or pricier than hoped.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of slow
Verb
  • This season, our editors are savoring the activities that take us back to some of our favorite childhood days—jumping off docks, sliding down twisty pool slides, and lingering outside long into the evening.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • Any strange or lingering foot symptoms, though, could be a sign of a bigger health condition.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 3 July 2026
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • Video of the confrontation appears to show Nelson idling in a snowy strip mall parking lot in his gray Dodge Ram when another driver in an even larger pickup pulls in beside him.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • One aspect that contributed to the gridlock was a number of Waymo's self-driving robotaxis idling on the road as traffic officials tried to remedy the halt in traffic.
    — Noe Padilla, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of idling
Verb
  • On Tuesday, the roller-coaster ride for AI stocks whipped back down, dragging Wall Street lower.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • With the process dragging on for months, the split of drama and comedy into separate departments, with Smith as head of the former, emerged as a likely scenario by mid-May.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 8 July 2026
Definition of dragging
Verb
  • For everyday wear, a linen short and linen shirt combo is the perfect set for lounging at home or running errands.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • Getting the perfect shot of a lounging leopard seal or an emperor penguin posing in Antarctica is a photographer’s dream come true.
    — Kristen E. Pope, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
Definition of lounging
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.

Browse Nearby Words

dillydally
dillydallying
dilute
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Cite this Entry

“Dillydallying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydallying. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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