as in hesitated
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of dithered
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
Beren Cross, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dithered
Verb
-
The moment highlighted a shift from March, when Jeffries hesitated to endorse Schumer after a previous bipartisan funding agreement.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Many establishment Democrats hesitated or declined to endorse their party's choice for mayor, and moderate-to-conservative power brokers united behind Cuomo's third-party candidacy.—
Kyler Alvord,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Pressed to find out exactly where the show faltered, Mangan opined that perhaps the sheer amount of talent behind the camera stopped anyone from steering this Hindenburg on course.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Ultimately, Drake’s suit faltered.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dithered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dithered. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share