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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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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydallying
  1. leisurely
  2. delaying
  3. dawdling
  4. slow
  5. lingering
  6. idling
  7. dragging
  8. loafing
Adjective
  • Before a night out filling your belly with local grub in the Old Port (which is a leisurely 20 minutes away on foot), hit the Five of Clubs bar for a seasonal drink like the cantaloupe- and lemon-laced Melancholia, along with half a dozen oysters.
    — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In lower Manhattan and beyond — caught by paparazzi — he can be seen out and about in big sunglasses and tiny shorts, taking leisurely strolls with his fiancée, Zoë Kravitz.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of leisurely
Verb
  • Rural leaders will probably follow the urban practice of ensuring community input – as required by Congress – before allowing tax-delaying investments by wealthy financial backers.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In a 2022 One Earth study of more than 47,000 people across 68 countries, researcher Kelton Minor and colleagues found that warmer nighttime temperatures shorten sleep, mostly by delaying when people fall asleep.
    — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 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
  • In fact, starting too early often has more downsides than taking it slow.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But so far, the economy has grown at roughly 2% annually, slower than the gains during the Biden administration.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of slow
Verb
  • Still, there was a cloud of public doubt lingering over the event.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • For evening observers, this apparition has been more frustrating than triumphant, with Venus lingering low in the glow of twilight instead of climbing into a commanding position.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • Residents described idling in traffic as roads became jammed with evacuees.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The gunshot woke up a neighbor, who the Game Commission said saw the truck idling near where the carcass was found the next morning.
    — Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of idling
Verb
  • The story went viral, Rust recalls, dragging local, state and, ultimately, federal officials into a Keystone Kops-like battle of wills.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • During the transformation the gases escape, dragging dust and ice particles off the surface with them.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of dragging
Verb
  • Kids who used to run to the field excited to play, suddenly started loafing to the field wearing their crocs with their heads buried in their phones.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
  • The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Definition of loafing
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 11 Sep. 2026.

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