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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Tuesday night’s showdown with Ecuador was delayed by an hour because of lightning.
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First, a five-year closing process delayed the project, which was supposed to be completed by 2021.
Verb
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Russell Henley also made a 4-under push on Sunday to finish 10-under, while Cam Young faltered in the final pairing with a 1-over round to finish 10-under as well.
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Brazobán faltered, however, allowing a walk and two hits, the last of which being a two-out RBI single by Trae Turner that put the Phillies up, 2-1.
Verb
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After being denied by Cuba, the ship approached Florida and lingered offshore, so close the passengers could see the lights of Miami.
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Steven Rinella's symptoms, on the other hand, lingered for months, leaving him unable to walk down stairs without a handrail or to ride a bike.
Verb
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When Twain lunched with Theodore Roosevelt, he was dismayed that the president dragged in his Rough Rider exploits in Cuba three or four times.
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The bureau said government spending, exports, consumer spending all drove real GDP growth, while imports dragged.
Verb
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So, while the Dodgers crawled out of the hole with a season-high 17 hits, the steep cost heightens the pressure on the rest of the rotation the rest of the series.
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Unlike text or images, robotic manipulation data cannot be crawled from the internet.
Verb
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But Ecuador’s Gonzalo Plata stuck up his left foot, just in front of Neuer, and poked the ball into the net.
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In the third round, Magomedov poked Pereira in the eye, forcing a roughly two-minute pause, and still no point came off.
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallied. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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