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
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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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dither
Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
His reluctance, according to a report Thursday by the Red Sox news site BoSox Injection, could open the door for another team to beat the Red Sox to the punch and sign Guerrero while Boston dithers over the size of his contract.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
Either technology can show an assortment of issues like banding and dithering patterns in fills, which vary from printer to printer and can even vary from one quality setting to another with the same printer.
—PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dither
Noun
The West Ham captain opts to tee up Ferguson, who dithers with the opportunity, allowing Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard to block the eventual shot.
—Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
His reluctance, according to a report Thursday by the Red Sox news site BoSox Injection, could open the door for another team to beat the Red Sox to the punch and sign Guerrero while Boston dithers over the size of his contract.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
There was no dithering, just a window of opportunity narrowing by the minute.
—Big Think, 23 Oct. 2025
Either technology can show an assortment of issues like banding and dithering patterns in fills, which vary from printer to printer and can even vary from one quality setting to another with the same printer.
—PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dither
Noun
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Eyes wide, panting near panic, Foster perfectly captures the audience's own fear of being alone in the dark with a monster.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
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Neighboring India, which is the world’s second-largest importer of LPG after China, is grappling with panic-buying among its own citizens amid wild swings in the price of international Brent crude oil, which as of early Friday was above $100 a barrel.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
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Anyone who spots a Nile monitor should be aware these animals will not hesitate to defend themselves.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yannick Nézét-Séguin let the prelude speak with minimal fuss, then unspooled the rest of the score with total control, pulling the thread taut, relaxing it, and increasing the tension again, until by the end the orchestra bloomed into rapture.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
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Salmon is an increasingly popular fish that’s easy to prepare at home with minimal fuss.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The hardest part can be fighting off nerves, but for Garbacz, perfection was the result and not the end goal.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2026
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The disease affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord, robbing a person of their ability to walk, breathe and often speak.—
Juana Summers,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Top-seeded Michigan survived an uninspiring performance to hold off Ohio State 71-67, while fourth-seeded Illinois blew a 15-point lead and faltered down the stretch in a 91-88 overtime loss to Wisconsin.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
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Democrats are hoping to make the expired subsidies an issue in the midterms, after bipartisan talks to revive them faltered.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Among agonized grunts and huffs, Probst narrated the fumbles.—
Sarah Grant,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
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David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Algebra in between scenes… sends shivers down my spine!—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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Their accounts gave me shivers of recognition—their experiences echoed my father’s stories.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Crafted of a lightweight, breathable linen blend, these wide-leg pants will keep you both fashionable and sweat-free all season.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2026
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Its clinical-strength formula controls sweat and odor for up to four days.—
Laura Lu,
Parents,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dither. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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