shilly-shallying 1 of 3

noun

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shilly-shallying

2 of 3

adjective

as in ambivalent

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shilly-shallying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of shilly-shally
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

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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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shallying
  1. hesitation
  2. ambivalent
  3. hesitating
  4. delaying
  5. hesitancy
  6. random
  7. faltering
  8. lingering
Noun
  • Henry shook backup safety Dell Pettus with a slight hesitation at the goal line before breaking free inside.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2026
  • When that was met with no hesitations, that was a pivotal part of me taking this job.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitation
Adjective
  • What reads at a casual distance as serene maternal tenderness shifts, on closer inspection, into something more ambivalent—a shade of melancholy that surfaces only when the eye lingers on Mary’s face.
    — Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Latinos were ambivalent about Proposition 187, the 1994 California ballot initiative that sought to deny immigrants and their families access to social services.
    — Eladio Bobadilla, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of ambivalent
Verb
  • So electric power companies and regulators are cautious, hesitating to construct plants unless future demand is guaranteed.
    — Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Suarez, not hesitating, took advantage and sent his shot soaring.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of hesitating
Verb
  • Sacramento Regional Transit will adjust six bus routes beginning Sunday, including delaying departure times and eliminating one early-morning trip from Florin.
    — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The discovery prevented the plane from being moved on schedule, delaying a flight and forcing JetBlue to use a different aircraft instead, according to the affidavit, an interruption estimated to cost the airline over $2,400.
    — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of delaying
Noun
  • Two committee Republicans voiced hesitancy on Blanche Two committee Republicans placed conditions on supporting Blanche's pathway to a full Senate vote.
    — Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
  • During the panel, Flanagan shared that there were initial hesitancies about creating the series.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Definition of hesitancy
Adjective
  • Those reactions can look like freak weather, but the judgment underneath them isn’t random.
    — ESMT Berlin, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In partnership with research firm ETC Institute, the city also mailed surveys to a random sample of at least 500 households across Elgin.
    — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of random
Verb
  • Two decades’ worth of Chinese investments in research and foreign policy are coming into bloom, Osnos writes, at the same moment that America is faltering on the world stage.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Athletic spoke to those close to Rooney — who did so anonymously to protect relationships — about his transformation from faltering broadcaster to one of the bright points of the national broadcaster’s coverage.
    — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of faltering
Verb
  • In astrology, Venus governs love, pleasure, money, relationships and values, while Pluto exposes what’s lingering beneath the surface.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Any lingering hope that Netanyahu could be convinced to take part in such an endeavor now looks for the birds.
    — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of lingering
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

shilly-shally
shilly-shallying
shimmer
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Cite this Entry

“Shilly-shallying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallying. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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