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
-
Blashill didn’t hesitate to go right back to Knight after the goalie’s first poor performance of the season Thursday night in Winnipeg.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025 -
The Nashville forward was awarded the PK after Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo hesitated coming off his line and was called for a foul.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to the cuts, you’re legally entitled to a cash refund, not just some future credit.—
The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
According to the flight status report on the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field website Friday, the airport had delayed arrivals from Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and Houston, and canceled flights from Charlotte and Salt Lake City.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
So there's no hesitation in that regard.—
EW Staff,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Nov. 2025
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Tuesday's result capped a tumultuous final month that saw national Republican condemnation, Democratic hesitation and equivocation, and a barrage of attack ads.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
After Ohtani faltered, the game was the Blue Jays’ to lose, but the Dodgers kept pecking away.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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And when New York falters, the ripple effects are often national.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The overnight storm was likely triggered by a glancing CME arrival that combined with lingering effects from a high-speed solar wind stream, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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Yet concerns also linger that the market’s gains are increasingly reliant on tech companies.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Wyatt gave Minnie some distance, which made sense after Kylie spoke about her eldest daughter’s hesitancy around characters at the theme park.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Liberty’s own hesitancy to committing is based on her past as well as her day-to-day dealing with [divorce] clients.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Altman has remained ambivalent about the potential timing for OpenAI to go public.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
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Meanwhile, Lin's only daughter is in college in the capital, with no plans to return — and ambivalent about having kids herself.—
John Ruwitch,
NPR,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But as the stalemate has dragged on, some Democrats have been looking for a way out.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
6 Nov. 2025
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Big bitcoin holders appear to be selling their tokens, threatening to drag the cryptocurrency deeper into the red, according to Citigroup.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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