shilly-shallied

verb

past tense of shilly-shally
1
as in hesitated
to show uncertainty about the right course of action I didn't shilly-shally but instead raced to the hospital as soon as I heard the news

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delayed
to move or act slowly with dinner guests due in two hours, there was no time to shilly-shally in front of the TV set

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shallied
  1. hesitated
  2. delayed
  3. faltered
  4. lingered
  5. dragged
  6. crawled
  7. poked
Verb
  • Though her books continue to be adapted into movies and recurring series, Moriarty has always hesitated to write a sequel.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The driver hesitated on the street for a moment before driving away.
    — Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitated
Verb
  • Delane’s pro debut was delayed by a shoulder injury suffered in the spring, limiting his practice in OTAs and training camp.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Urgent repair projects will be delayed, construction costs will multiply, and the visitor experience will inevitably decline as facilities fall into disrepair, risking the safety of millions of tourists and residents alike.
    — Lulu Vilas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of delayed
Verb
  • But their turnout in Broward, the state’s last big remaining Democratic stronghold, faltered.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The Philadelphia Phillies' 2026 season hopes for their back-end rotation and bullpen have faltered, prompting a search for pitching upgrades.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of faltered
Verb
  • Kannan’s ability to manage so many characters while developing them all sufficiently to feel vivid and real … The ending has lingered in my mind long after the final page.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Giants manager Tony Vitello lingered in the dugout after the game and watched as Wilkinson’s crew gave him a rousing cheer.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of lingered
Verb
  • In one case, agents in Bowie, Maryland, smashed a father’s car window, dragged him out, and pinned him to the ground — while his 6-, 7-, and 8-year-old children watched from the back seat.
    — Arlene Marcus, Sun Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2026
  • As power outages in northwest Indiana dragged on for over a week, Alyssa Casalin said her 2-month-old boy grew increasingly restless.
    — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of dragged
Verb
  • To compile as comprehensive a list as possible, Szydlowski crawled Instagram and Reddit for photos of people wearing different types of smart glasses.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026
  • As the whole team fought for their lives, Yerman, one of the only Marines with relatively minor wounds, crawled over to Capers.
    — Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawled
Verb
  • Over the past few years, a steady increase has been reported of workers getting poked by needles in the trash.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Benson later had a pass poked out by Texans corner Tremon Smith.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of poked
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Shilly-shallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallied. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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