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
Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
In Diane Keaton’s dithers is all the strength of American women.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2025
PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
Ao Tanaka should not have dithered and conceded the second set-piece so late into injury time, while the backline should have been more alert to the second ball.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dither
Noun
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
In Diane Keaton’s dithers is all the strength of American women.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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
Ao Tanaka should not have dithered and conceded the second set-piece so late into injury time, while the backline should have been more alert to the second ball.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dither
Noun
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His agent, in a panic, called our group’s director.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Shortly after the trip, Taylor testified before the City Council on the panic-button pilot, which ran in four city high schools through a purchase order issued by the NYPD for $19,860.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Asked during a keynote appearance at Berlin’s European Film Market whether such a deal would be good for the film business, Ford didn’t hesitate.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Glenn and his friends were asked to meet some girls, and the teens didn’t hesitate.—
Yolanda Harris,
AJC.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Testing of Your Safety Devices Your home’s safety devices, like smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, and GFCI outlets, are designed to protect without much fuss.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
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No reservations, no fuss, just pizza.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Too much carbon dioxide can also lead to a condition called hypercapnia, or too much CO2 in your bloodstream, which can become chronic and affect your lungs, brain, nerves and muscles, according to Cleveland Clinic.—
Alex Perry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
19 Feb. 2026
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The prospect of conflict in Iran has stoked nerves about potential disruptions to the global oil supply and a corresponding surge in oil prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But in his first appearances on Olympic ice, Malinin showed some fallibility and faltered in the short program of the team event, finishing behind Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama.—
Alice Park,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
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Trying to hold all of that in, trying to be the one who never falters is not sustainable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Among agonized grunts and huffs, Probst narrated the fumbles.—
Sarah Grant,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
-
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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Moos wrote that when Frost showed up for a secret interview at a Philadelphia hotel the night before his undefeated UCF team played a road game at Temple, Frost was unshaven and wearing sweats.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
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There are a lot of guns and sweat.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dither. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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