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
-
After missing his two previous attempts only seconds earlier, Dixon returned to the free-throw line without any hesitation.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026 -
In an environment dictated by speed and automation, the space for hesitation, dissent, or moral restraint may be shrinking just as quickly.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Putting private anguish and public witnessing into forceful tension, Paksa fashioned a productively ambivalent rubric for the artist under authoritarianism.—
Daniel R. Quiles,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Another friend felt more ambivalent about his casting.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Names by Florence Knapp After a devastating storm, Cora brings her newborn son to be registered, hesitating when pressured to name him after her controlling husband.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The union is calling for an inflationary increase to wages effective July 1, while Cassellius has proposed delaying inflationary raises until January to save money.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The inspector general accused the department of blocking long-standing access to internal DHS databases used for oversight work, restricting data related to border enforcement and TSA programs, and delaying access to classified intelligence systems.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
His hesitancy has become a referendum.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Milan’s faltering title hopes in Serie A won’t be helped by a horrible injury to Ruben Loftus-Cheek.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Even if things don’t go exactly as planned, you’re braced to make any necessary adjustments without faltering.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Still, a 12-person jury was selected Monday, and opening arguments went ahead in the Manhattan federal courthouse Tuesday morning, amid lingering questions about whether it could all be upended by a last-minute deal.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
-
But lingering high prices and cost-of-living issues could become a liability for Republicans in power.—
The NPR Network,
NPR,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As the road flows into Missouri, plan a leg-stretching pause at Meramec Caverns in the leafy Ozarks.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Denver’s mayor has already instituted a similar pause.—
Eric Schmidt,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 2026.
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