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
-
That recalibration comes at a moment when fairs worldwide are grappling with rising costs, uneven sales, and collector hesitation.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
15 Apr. 2026 -
That hesitation is where dreams die.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Brigid, a Catholic, is ambivalent about plural marriage.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Ironically, Chavez himself appeared ambivalent about such public tributes.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has criticized European countries for rejecting or hesitating to get involved in the war with Iran.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
17 Apr. 2026
-
The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For a worker with a $2,200 monthly benefit at full retirement age, living to 85 and delaying from 62 to 70 produces roughly $66,240 more in total lifetime benefits.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
-
As a result, the agency halted balloon launches at some locations and is delaying them elsewhere.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite Pickford’s relative hesitancy to engage aerially, Everton have been one of the most effective teams in the league at defending corners, conceding just five goals, the joint third fewest in the Premier League.—
Matt Pyzdrowski,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This hesitancy is showing up in the market.—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The figures reinforce the extent to which consumer demand is faltering only two years after Tesla began delivering the electric pickup.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
After faltering in the crucial moments of its first postseason telecast, the stakes have now been raised for upcoming presentations.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But one problem is the lingering perception that blue-collar work isn’t as elite or prestigious as white-collar work.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Rain coverage will be at its peak throughout the morning, with a few lingering showers by the afternoon.—
Michael Autovino,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday Ukraine is ready to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to Russia a pause in attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter holiday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Leon, in issuing the temporary pause, concluded that the preservationist group behind the legal challenge was likely to succeed because the president lacks the authority to build the ballroom without approval from Congress.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 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 24 Apr. 2026.
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