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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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.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026 -
Instead, both hesitated, their feet tangled and a charging Healy banged in the loose ball.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
12 June 2026
Verb
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That money was delayed in getting to Foxborough amid a congressional funding freeze.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
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The team’s charter flight from Mexico to Miami Sunday night was delayed a few hours due to missing documentation.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
Verb
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When Johnson faltered, Clark had plenty of breathing room — and a quick turnaround.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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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.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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When a father in an England jersey led his young sons toward the concourse, one lingered behind long enough to see Croatia’s Martin Baturina score in the 36th minute, after which the youngster registered his disgust.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2026
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That faded almost immediately, though the headache lingered half the day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Verb
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In that second leadership election, he was roundly defeated by Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran socialist whose victory dragged the party leftwards.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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As the Bucks dragged their feet on the Antetokounmpo situation, a number of other teams gave up on the season entirely.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Street sweepers and garbage trucks crawled through roads fans had packed hours earlier.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
18 June 2026
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Last December, a rat appeared from the overhead bins and crawled behind a curtain in the cabin while a flight was en route from Amsterdam to Aruba, according to previous reporting from USA TODAY.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Verb
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The view was uncommonly broad, and the city skyline poked out of the eastern sky.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
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Jo Adell poked a tying single through the infield moments later.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallied. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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