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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The most likely explanation for the wave-off is that, after Barbashev’s dump-in, LaCombe might have hesitated, if only for a fateful moment, while Eichel went hard after the puck.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
5 May 2026 -
Large oil producers have hesitated to make long-term capital decisions based on a potentially short-term war.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Verb
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In California, the Los Angeles County Counsel is probing allegations that State Farm delayed, underpaid and denied valid insurance claims from last year's wildfires.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
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Altman was buried after a private funeral on March 31, after a public service was delayed when his widow went into labor with their daughter.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Where the show faltered last night, however, was in assuming a one-size-fits-all approach to its pop-star-hosting formula.—
Charu Sinha,
Vulture,
3 May 2026
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The merger, announced about a year ago, faltered for several reasons.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Over a lifetime, filmmaker Lynne Sachs has collected business cards—mementos of brief exchanges with strangers—and selects seven to uncover why these moments have lingered so vividly in her memory.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
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The girls, buzzed on miniature cans of soda, lingered in the liminal space between rolling credits and parental pickup.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
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On March 14, visiting SDFC led FC Dallas 3-1 before Petar Musa dragged the home side back.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
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The Carboniferous period dragged on for sixty million.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
Verb
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When a Republican says something foolish, network anchors react like a gator just crawled into the studio wearing a MAGA hat.—
Larry Clifton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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The next day, steady rains caused the F1 Academy race to be cancelled and the first 20 laps of the Miami Grand Prix to be crawled behind the safety car.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Hartman caught the pass and poked it low past Wedgewood while being buried by a Brent Burns check.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
-
Joshua poked me in the shoulder.—
Chang-rae Lee,
New Yorker,
3 May 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 10 May. 2026.
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