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
-
Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026 -
Anyone who spots a Nile monitor should be aware these animals will not hesitate to defend themselves.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But Democrats would also be allowed to bring up an indefinite number of amendments on any subject, forcing Republicans to take hard votes in an election year and delaying the process even more.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Mar. 2026
-
The airframe is currently scheduled to remain in service until at least 2050, and upgrade programs are constantly being delayed.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pittenger noted the hesitation from others made sense.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Several people began pushing the fish back toward the ocean — but not without some initial hesitation.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Top-seeded Michigan survived an uninspiring performance to hold off Ohio State 71-67, while fourth-seeded Illinois blew a 15-point lead and faltered down the stretch in a 91-88 overtime loss to Wisconsin.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Democrats are hoping to make the expired subsidies an issue in the midterms, after bipartisan talks to revive them faltered.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This is a day for speaking plainly and clearing up lingering misunderstandings.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Showers may linger through the mid-morning.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Finally, Jim said that our hesitancy to sell is due to fear that the company will figure out how to solve its AI woes.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
-
That hesitancy has never fully disappeared.—
Ken Toltz,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Most are, at best, ambivalent about pedestrians.—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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The Kurds are ambivalent about joining and view their role as that of a bridge.—
Felice Friedson,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The war continued to escalate on its 13th day as oil prices spiraled up again to $100 per barrel, and stocks sank worldwide over fears that the conflict could drag on longer than hoped.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Even with the massive emergency release, analysts said that strategic reserves can cover only a fraction of the supply loss if the conflict dragged on.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 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 15 Mar. 2026.
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