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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shilly-shallying
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
-
When asked which member of the family is the best soccer player, Theo didn't hesitate.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
19 June 2026 -
When an agreement offers nothing to the Iranian people, why would the regime hesitate to intensify its crackdown?—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
And schools that delay submitting transfer paperwork until the last minute thinking investigators will be too busy to spot an error don’t understand the process.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
The initial flight was delayed, causing everyone on the flight to miss their connections in Iceland.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
With far less hair, Ella’s green eyes seemed greener, like those of the feral black cats that roamed their hamlet, meowing for table scraps, which were often given without hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
-
The result is a workplace trapped between urgency and hesitation.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
South Korean public opinion, especially among younger generations, has also grown increasingly ambivalent about the potentially enormous economic and social costs reunification would entail.—
Ethan Teekah,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 June 2026
-
Garrett is ambivalent about playing hockey, which he was forced into by his cold and extremely famous star-athlete father (Steve Howey, giving perfect network-procedural-bad-guy energy).—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
When Johnson faltered, Clark had plenty of breathing room — and a quick turnaround.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Still up seven games in the NL East, the Braves (46-27) are in an offensive funk over the past week, and the team’s good starting pitching has faltered some.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The town’s predicament highlights the limits of any ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and the lingering hardship faced by residents whose lives have been upended by years of conflict.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
-
Robertson answered any lingering questions about his game with his franchise-caliber play.—
Shayna Goldman,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
Noun
-
Part of it is a hesitancy to trade veterans on expiring contracts (prior to this season’s trades with Buffalo) to get picks back.—
Murat Ates,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Another common problem for leaders is dealing with the pressure to innovate or the hesitancy to invest from the board.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a growing movement to bring back small rituals, like lighting candles, using cloth napkins, pulling out the good china on a random weeknight, and saying a toast before the first bite.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
-
Candles, cloth napkins, the good china on a random Wednesday, a quick toast before the first bite.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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