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
Relevance
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
M.l. Elrick, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
Hitler—still two years from power—was dismissed as a dithering amateur, reliant on speeches, crowds, and parliamentary niceties.
—Thomas Meaney, New Yorker, 2 July 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
And while the boys dithered, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow launched her campaign Wednesday in what has become the new traditional way: by posting a video and sending out a text asking for money.
—M.l. Elrick, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
Hitler—still two years from power—was dismissed as a dithering amateur, reliant on speeches, crowds, and parliamentary niceties.
—Thomas Meaney, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for dither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dither
Noun
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Trump gets his headlines, and inflicts a jolt of panic, and doesn't care whether this survives first contact with the courts.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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The announcement caused a panic in Silicon Valley, with tech companies advising their H-1B employees not to leave the country lest they not be allowed back in.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Bears quarterback didn't hesitate to offer some self-criticism in his postgame remarks either.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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Look for Maker’s Marks While at the thrift store, don’t hesitate to turn an item over to inspect it further.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Often overly-formal affairs can actually detract from making your guests feel welcome; limiting the fuss and frills helps create a more relaxed atmosphere.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
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The ongoing lawsuit isn't the first time the FTC has made a fuss about Amazon's operations recently.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Brandon, his nerves showing, spoke about the oil boom, cartel activity, copper and crude-oil theft, and the struggles the six law enforcement officers in the county have dealing with it all.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
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The aberrant gene makes a form of the huntingtin protein that clumps into toxic aggregates, which prevent nerves from functioning normally.—
Alice Park,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Max Verstappen's victories in the last two Grands Prix have brought him back into the championship fight, although the 69-point gap to Piastri can only be achieved if McLaren falters on every race weekend.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
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Years later, Rick Ankiel, a Cardinals pitcher, could no longer throw strikes—yet, when he was moved to the outfield, his accuracy rarely faltered from a greater distance.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kemp looked at the ceiling and blew a huff of air when Schwartz announced the sentence.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
24 Aug. 2025
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Getty Images To date, the post has amassed more than 900 comments from TikTok viewers, many of them poking fun at the golden retriever mother's annoyed expression and shallow huffs.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Noun
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National Hispanic Heritage Month falls at the perfect time for catching up on all the summer fantasy romance reads before Halloween swoops in to give us the shivers.—
Lia Amador,
PEOPLE,
20 Sep. 2025
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Hank is a Dallas Cowboys diehard; the idea of Bobby getting into the Premier League sends him into full-body shivers.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Aaron Pierre, 31, has the internet in a tizzy about his fatherhood status.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
8 Sep. 2025
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Swift also touched on one of her recent hobbies, baking sourdough, and an on-the-field moment at the 2024 AFC title game that sent her into a tizzy.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dither. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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