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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Dissimilar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
  • Trust reduces hesitation, especially when people are comparing options fast and looking for a reason to stay.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • Rather, congressional hesitation on what would be the largest election reform in decades reflects an awareness of constituent needs and lawmakers’ own reelection risks.
    — SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 17 July 2026
Definition of hesitation
Adjective
  • Overall, watching my previously ambivalent friends and family members really gain a new appreciation for this sport during this World Cup.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • American statesmen have always found France an ambivalent ally, but as much because of their own behavior as that of their counterparts.
    — Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026
Definition of ambivalent
Verb
  • The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.
    — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
  • While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Definition of hesitating
Verb
  • Crabtree said in his order that the court shared the government’s concerns about delaying the proceedings.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
  • Still, Goldman acknowledged that delaying an IVF procedure isn’t exactly an easy thing to do.
    — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of delaying
Noun
  • Sidewalk safety, a tale of two cities There is no such hesitancy with cities collecting roadway data.
    — Wes Marshall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • The Iranian regime’s apparent hesitancy to resume in-person talks is a significant step back from the high-level talks that took place in Switzerland earlier this month following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the countries.
    — Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 30 June 2026
Definition of hesitancy
Adjective
  • The maximalist space is filled with art pieces big and small — drawings taped up, random plant pots and street signs, scrap-metal sculptures and realist paintings.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
  • Amid the random parts stitched together to fill 10 half-hour episodes (which are actually 30 minutes or less, thank God), there are intriguing patterns.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Definition of random
Verb
  • The boy was burly and had a remarkable strength and energy that stayed throughout his life, only faltering in the very last throes of death.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • Chris Jung | Nurphoto | Getty Images Shares of Nvidia have been faltering recently — and Kalshi traders predict that what the company can charge for chips is also declining.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 22 June 2026
Definition of faltering
Verb
  • The floods drew attention to still unhealed wounds — and lingering regrets.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • Despite the lingering outages, the disruptions remained concentrated rather than widespread.
    — Christopher Scarglato, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 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 23 Jul. 2026.

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