SHILLY-SHALLIED Synonyms: 137 Similar and Opposite Words

shilly-shallied

verb

past tense of shilly-shally

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

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

Many people would have hesitated before taking them on as tenants, housemates, or clients.

— Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Watching the spray of flames and the boiling smoke, the hack hesitated for a moment.

— Peter Wilkinson, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of hesitated

Verb

Left unhandled, each one turns into a person fixing an issue or an order getting delayed.

— Shivansh Inamdar, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Despite rising infant deaths tied to Lucy Letby’s shifts, hospital leaders delayed suspending her and calling police, allowing further attacks before her eventual arrest and conviction.

— Brian Melley, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of delayed

Verb

Progress toward that goal faltered in 2023 when the state learned that its proposal to tap federal funds for a study on the Idaho-Utah route had been incorrectly submitted.

— Rose Evans September 15, Idaho Statesman, 15 Sep. 2026
Other elements of this team that were so strong last year also faltered, from pass protection to the tight ends to Davante Adams to the run defense and overall pass rush.

— Matt Barrows, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of faltered

Verb

The sophomore set him down outside the door of the boys varsity locker room, and a 15-year-old grabbed the victim’s ankles, dragged him inside and held him down, the boy told police.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026
My brother is lying on the floor, as if thrown down and dragged there.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of dragged

Verb

The dog’s ribs poked out, her skin was irritated and red, and patches of fur were missing — a possible sign of mange.

— Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
In between, Arsenal had plenty of attacking joy, particularly when the slick positional rotations of their right flank poked at the weak spot on the left of Chelsea’s defence.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of poked

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shills

shilly-shallied

shilly-shallies

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“Shilly-shallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallied. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of shilly-shallied

verb

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