Synonyms of dither

dither 1 of 2

noun

1

as in panic

a state of nervous or irritated concern

Grandma usually gets in a dither if I don't make my weekly call

Synonyms & Similar Words

• panic
• fuss
• huff
• fret
• sweat
• tizzy
• lather
• swivet
• pother
• stew
• swelter
• fluster
• dudgeon
• twitter
• bother
• hysteria
• pique
• ado
• agitation
• hand-wringing
• delirium
• alarm
• nervous breakdown
• distraction
• furor
• uproar

2

as in butterflies

a sense of panic or extreme nervousness

we were all in a dither while we waited for the test results

Synonyms & Similar Words

• butterflies
• nerves
• shivers
• jitters
• willies
• shakes
• creeps
• jimjams
• hysteria
• heebie-jeebies
• fear
• cold sweat
• screaming meemies
• anxiety
• goose bumps
• fidgets
• whim-whams
• frazzle
• agitation
• nervous breakdown
• uneasiness
• skittishness
• jumpiness
• edginess

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calm
• composure
• equanimity
• tranquility
• aplomb
• imperturbability
• self-possession

dither

2 of 2

verb

ˈdi-t͟hər 

as in to hesitate

to show uncertainty about the right course of action

we dithered all afternoon over whether to go to the park or to the movies and ended up doing neither

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitate
• falter
• vacillate
• wait
• waver
• debate
• stagger
• scruple
• hang back
• halt
• pause
• shilly-shally
• wobble
• balance
• delay
• dawdle
• teeter
• linger
• sway
• procrastinate
• ponder
• haw
• deliberate
• hem
• back down
• weigh
• chicken (out)
• oscillate
• equivocate
• consider
• waffle
• hedge
• pussyfoot
• dally

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decide
• continue
• stir
• dive (in)
• plunge (in)
• advance
• budge

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dither

Noun

Europe, by Shah's reckoning, has used regulation to dampen digital assets rather than enable them, while the UK once again dithers over which way to jump. — Kjartan Rist, Forbes.com, 16 June 2026

But that counterintuitive ranking, in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican statewide in years, has Democrats in a dither and reform advocates once again saying that California needs to shift to a more representative form of voting. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026

Verb

Republicans should stop dithering and use the reconciliation process to move through a unified package with only 51 Senate votes. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2026

As the authorities dithered, people across the city grew restless. — Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026