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
Relevance
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
Verb
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Like Camilla, Princess Kate reportedly hesitated to take the Princess of Wales title following Queen Elizabeth’s death because of its longtime association with Diana.
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Keep in mind, Andy, Woody’s first and beloved owner, wanted to keep Woody with him, even in college, and hesitated for a moment before giving him up to Bonnie in Toy Story 3.
Verb
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The theory here is that avarice and ambition can best be defeated by means of somebody else’s avarice and ambition; power’s inevitable corrupting effect is thereby mitigated or delayed.
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Automatic contributions, delayed payment windows, small rituals that add friction to impulse spending — these are all behavioral architecture moves, not acts of self-denial.
Verb
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When Johnson faltered, Clark had plenty of breathing room — and a quick turnaround.
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Still up seven games in the NL East, the Braves (46-27) are in an offensive funk over the past week, and the team’s good starting pitching has faltered some.
Verb
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Yet, the same themes of access and power have lingered around the presidency in the eight decades since.
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The claim that creatine causes hair loss has lingered since 2009, shaping decisions for gym-goers and athletes weighing whether to add it to their routine.
Verb
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But as the crisis dragged on over six days and pressure from the families of the hostages grew, Israeli leaders gradually became more open to talks, according to a summary of the files released by the Israel State Archives.
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Around Christmas 2024 the Estlink 2 cable between Finland and Estonia went down after a shadow-fleet tanker, the Eagle S, dragged its anchor across the seabed.
Verb
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Chelsea Green crawled from under the ring and evened the odds.
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The animal eventually crawled under a dock.
Verb
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Griffin also poked at the cohosts in the immediate aftermath of Hasselbeck and former View moderator Rosie O'Donnell's legendary on-air fight in 2007, as Griffin was a guest host the following day and brought up the incident numerous times — which annoyed Walters in the moment.
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Late in the third, the Knights seemed to retake the lead after Pavel Dorofeyev poked home a loose puck.
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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 Jun. 2026.
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