Synonyms of shilly-shally

shilly-shally 1 of 3

verb

1

as in to hesitate

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

• hesitate
• falter
• dither
• vacillate
• scruple
• waver
• debate
• wait
• stagger
• pause
• wabble
• halt
• balance
• dawdle
• wobble
• delay
• procrastinate
• hang back
• haw
• sway
• deliberate
• linger
• teeter
• dally
• pussyfoot
• ponder
• hem
• equivocate
• back down
• oscillate
• weigh
• waffle
• consider
• hedge
• chicken (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decide
• continue
• stir
• dive (in)
• advance
• plunge (in)
• budge

• decide
• continue
• stir
• dive (in)
• advance
• plunge (in)
• budge

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2

as in to delay

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

• delay
• linger
• poke
• drag
• crawl
• dawdle
• lollygag
• dillydally
• stroll
• loiter
• diddle
• creep
• mope
• tarry
• lag
• dally
• lallygag
• play
• mark time
• stall
• shuffle
• hang fire
• fall behind
• trifle
• stagger
• idle
• lounge
• drop behind
• temporize
• drag one's heels
• saunter
• take one's time
• amble
• procrastinate
• fool around
• drag one's feet
• loaf
• mess around
• decelerate
• plod
• loll
• inch
• ease
• filibuster
• lumber
• slow (down or up)
• fiddle (around)
• monkey (around)
• potter (around)
• putter (around)
• hang (around or out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurry
• rush
• course
• hasten
• scurry
• hotfoot (it)
• whiz
• whizz
• tear
• whirl
• career
• rocket
• race
• scud
• scoot
• fly
• speed
• scramble
• rip
• hurtle
• run
• dart
• whisk
• dash
• breeze
• bolt
• zip
• hump
• barrel
• gallop
• hustle
• stampede
• trot
• bowl
• run
• jog
• accelerate
• sprint
• quicken
• speed (up)
• overtake
• outstrip
• outrun
• outpace
• catch up
• fast-forward

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• hurry
• rush
• course
• hasten
• scurry
• hotfoot (it)
• whiz
• whizz
• tear
• whirl
• career
• rocket
• race
• scud
• scoot
• fly
• speed
• scramble
• rip
• hurtle
• run
• dart
• whisk
• dash
• breeze
• bolt
• zip
• hump
• barrel
• gallop
• hustle
• stampede
• trot
• bowl
• run
• jog
• accelerate
• sprint
• quicken
• speed (up)
• overtake
• outstrip
• outrun
• outpace
• catch up
• fast-forward

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shilly-shally

2 of 3

noun

as in hesitation

a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action

the construction project was once again delayed by the bureaucratic shilly-shally of regulatory agencies

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitation
• hesitancy
• pause
• hesitance
• delay
• shilly-shallying
• vacillation
• irresolution
• indecision
• wavering
• deliberation
• uncertainty
• wobbling
• faltering
• waiting
• wabbling
• fence-sitting
• doubt
• reluctance
• procrastination
• hawing
• debate
• incertitude
• indecisiveness
• unwillingness
• consideration
• indetermination
• second thought
• uncertainness
• indisposition
• avoidance
• timidity
• faintheartedness
• misgiving
• arrière-pensée
• equivocation
• disinclination
• shyness
• timidness
• aversion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• certainty
• determination
• resolution
• confidence
• certitude
• eagerness
• firmness
• resoluteness
• decisiveness
• alacrity
• sureness
• readiness

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• certainty
• determination
• resolution
• confidence
• certitude
• eagerness
• firmness
• resoluteness
• decisiveness
• alacrity
• sureness
• readiness

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shilly-shally

3 of 3

adjective

as in shilly-shallying

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shilly-shallying
• hesitating
• ambivalent
• vacillating
• wavering
• haphazard
• random
• stray
• shaky
• aimless
• scattered
• slapdash
• desultory
• unreliable
• untrustworthy
• arbitrary
• dicey
• undependable
• uncertain
• volatile
• unpredictable
• erratic
• hit-or-miss
• capricious
• variable
• irregular
• changeful
• inconsistent
• mercurial
• mutable
• fickle
• changeable
• inconstant
• temperamental
• fluctuating
• versatile
• protean
• unstable
• skittish
• fluid
• mobile
• adaptable
• unsteady
• unsettled
• flickery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• invariable
• certain
• constant
• predictable
• unvarying
• steady
• unchangeable
• immutable
• changeless
• stationary
• stable
• unchanging
• even
• settled
• uniform
• equable
• persistent
• permanent
• abiding
• sure
• durable
• lasting
• trusty
• reliable
• dependable
• true
• trustworthy
• tried
• tried-and-true

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• invariable
• certain
• constant
• predictable
• unvarying
• steady
• unchangeable
• immutable
• changeless
• stationary
• stable
• unchanging
• even
• settled
• uniform
• equable
• persistent
• permanent
• abiding
• sure
• durable
• lasting
• trusty
• reliable
• dependable
• true
• trustworthy
• tried
• tried-and-true

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