1
as in hesitates
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 delays
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-shallies
Verb
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If the alliance hesitates, Putin will see weakness and press harder.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025 -
The actress hesitates for only a second before divulging the story.—
Galina Espinoza,
Flow Space,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These early shifts—less COVID vaccination; fewer options for flu, MMR, and chickenpox vaccines; and, perhaps soon, delays to the hepatitis-B schedule—may seem benign enough.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Too much light in the evening — that extra hour from daylight saving time — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.—
Jeremy Tanner,
The Hill,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Thiago shines while Fernandes falters Brentford produced one of the standout results of the weekend with a convincing 3-1 victory over Manchester United.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Max Verstappen's victories in the last two Grands Prix have brought him back into the championship fight, although the 69-point gap to Piastri can only be achieved if McLaren falters on every race weekend.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But above all, Fernández and El Mimoso’s voices shine extraordinarily beautifully, delivering a performance that lingers even after its final note.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
3 Oct. 2025
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The pick-off still lingers in Guerrero’s mind because of his teammate at the plate — the guy who’s been alongside him the whole time.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Arisu crawls onto a mound of rubble for momentary relief, and is met with an angry Banda.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
-
Gameplay begins as the player crawls from the wreckage.—
G Kirilloff,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In a pair of promos shared to social media on Monday in support of her upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl (out Friday), the singer pokes some major fun at herself.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Sep. 2025
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The trailer for Season 6 of Solar Opposites, released today, pokes fun of the show’s imminent end.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If the shutdown drags on for more than a few days, a report on inflation scheduled for mid-October could also be delayed.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
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In a letter to agencies last week, the budget office instructed them to prepare for possible layoffs if the impasse drags on.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
30 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shallies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallies. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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