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
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
-
But in volatile and uncertain times, many leaders hesitate to act, and others simply freeze up.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
31 July 2025 -
If you’re selected for an interview, don’t hesitate to ask the hiring manager whether a degree is truly required or if relevant experience counts.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
No rain should delay either the sprint race or qualifying, but race day is a different story.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
-
However, rocket launches can often be delayed due to poor weather or issues with the spacecraft.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Music can reduce hesitation in emergencies by providing a familiar and structured rhythm.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
29 July 2025
-
Still, the key to first-person address, as that great Renaissance master Michel de Montaigne understood, is not to subtract complication but to supply it, registering doubt, hesitation, and irony even while developing an argument.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
After Democrats took control of the Senate in 2021 with President Joe Biden in the White House, efforts to address the cap again faltered, despite efforts by Pritzker and other Democratic governors who wrote Biden a letter that spring calling for it to be eliminated.—
Dan Petrella,
Chicago Tribune,
28 July 2025
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Trump's ratings on some of the most significant issues facing the country also faltered, according to Gallup pollsters.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
27 July 2025
Verb
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The two Queens politicians sat on the lobby floor chanting with the other protesters, as cops lingered at the back of the lobby.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
1 Aug. 2025
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So rather than linger on that, Tamra brings up the Single White Female stuff, beginning with the hair extensions.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Still, the uncertainty surrounding his foot — and, frankly, his wage dispute — could likely yield to some hesitancy.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
25 July 2025
-
Others have suggested that there may be a link to more widespread hesitancy around government intervention on individual health that ramped up during the Covid-19 pandemic.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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The iPhone-masker seemed ambivalent about when that might be fixed.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
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But many people are ambivalent, having seen the kind of consequences that always-present online life and toxic social media have brought alongside their benefits.—
Omar L. Gallaga,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
Verb
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This review pokes a useful hole in the breathless reception this film received, while managing to feel fond.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
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The dish is almost a tease, tickling and poking you by showcasing carrots such that here a confident argument is made to herald them in as the pre-eminent salad vegetable.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 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 6 Aug. 2025.
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