as in hesitating
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dithering
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
After a decade of dithering by state leaders, voters forced change last November with their landslide approval of Proposition 36, which reversed parts of Proposition 47 and made some theft and drug crimes felonies once more.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Okonkwo was fortunate that another bout of dithering, this time as Karamoko Dembele raced through a wide-open Wrexham defence late on, didn’t result in Rangers adding a fourth.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Kudos for persistence, but slam the leadership dithering.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
After a decade of dithering by state leaders, voters forced change last November with their landslide approval of Proposition 36, which reversed parts of Proposition 47 and made some theft and drug crimes felonies once more.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
Okonkwo was fortunate that another bout of dithering, this time as Karamoko Dembele raced through a wide-open Wrexham defence late on, didn’t result in Rangers adding a fourth.
—Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Kudos for persistence, but slam the leadership dithering.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dithering
Verb
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Because life—even for us jaded adults—should be for the seizing, not for hesitating in the face of fear.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
9 Oct. 2025
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Meyers acted his dang butt off in this sketch, and the audience paid him back with unsure and hesitating titters — not crickets, but not enthusiasm either.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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After faltering in the semifinals of the 2024 WNBA playoffs, Wilson and the Aces capped off a dominant postseason run Friday by sweeping the Phoenix Mercury with a 97-86 win.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
11 Oct. 2025
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History will probably remember this Ravens team for faltering because of injuries, namely to their starting quarterback.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dithering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dithering. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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