as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
fortunately, during the crisis there was no shilly-shallying on the part of the president
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ambivalent
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in hesitating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shallying
Noun
-
In rap’s gladiator arena, there’s no grace for hesitation, and that hesitation defined Cole’s involvement in the clash of the century.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
19 Feb. 2026 -
Among those emails are unsent drafts, abandoned because of distraction or hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Another friend felt more ambivalent about his casting.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Others, such as Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan, seem ambivalent or opportunistic.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
However, if large enterprises are hesitating to commit and implement, that’s a broader industry headwind impacting everyone, not just SAP.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The appeals court, however, said staying the injunction serves the public interest by preventing federal agents from hesitating while carrying out lawful duties.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Earlier this season, Garland had surgery on his left big toe and then sprained the right big toe, which continues to give him problems, delaying his Clippers’ debut.—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Some of those detainees could be charged in the weeks to come in Minneapolis, where a number of prosecutors have quit – delaying cases and slowing the court system.—
Isabelle Chapman,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
And every one of us has moments of hiding, fear, doubt, and hesitancy.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Unless regulators crack down on these deepfakes, the videos threaten to steer even more patients toward wasteful, potentially dangerous purchases — while further undermining the public’s already faltering trust in medical institutions.—
John Whyte,
STAT,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The program also pledges to fulfill conditions for adopting the euro currency by 2030, and to invest in Hungary's faltering state health care and public transportation sectors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Weir was right, but those tours — whether billed as the Other Ones or the Dead — were a blend of old camaraderie and lingering friction between the members.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Forecasters say this pattern reflects lingering La Niña influences in the Pacific and the gradual transition toward spring.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Funding was eventually restored after a series of lawsuits challenging payment pauses, eligibility requirements, and requests from the federal government for sensitive citizen data.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
14 Feb. 2026
-
That pause in dopamine release signals a failure in reward arrival, a new kind of prediction error.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shallying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallying. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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