1
as in to hesitate
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to delay
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
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the construction project was once again delayed by the bureaucratic shilly-shally of regulatory agencies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shilly-shallying
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
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But Robinson didn’t hesitate to play Dylan Arbetman, who is one of three freshmen on an inexperienced roster.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025 -
Even digitally mature teams may hesitate when faced with generative AI interfaces.—
Khadim Batti,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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After lightning delayed kickoff for an hour, Colleyville Heritage (1-1) fell behind quickly in a back-and-forth game.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
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In the last few years, Beyoncé, Pink, and Noah Kahan, among others, have had concerts canceled or delayed by extreme lightning, rain, or wildfire smoke.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That hesitation quickly fled when the mask began to dry and tighten on the skin.—
Abby Dupes,
StyleCaster,
5 Sep. 2025
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So is the hesitation, the concern for consequence, and the mid-match questioning of how she is supposed to play.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But Cousins faltered midseason, and the team dropped six of its final eight games.—
Shane Shoemaker,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
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The insurance safety net that was supposed to support homeowners when tragedy struck also faltered.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Yet with so many worries lingering, even after Shi’s attempt to reassure them, confidence is as low as at any time in his nine years at the helm.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
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The tension lingers throughout the meal, leaving the family divided.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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My main hesitancy is the baby registry.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
30 Aug. 2025
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Inundated with protests and newfound hesitancy following the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania, the company ceased construction a year later.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The relationship of the English to their flag is deeply ambivalent.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
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This judgement is mine, for Herzog is far subtler and more ambivalent in his framing of Boyes, not fully suggesting in this film — made for the National Geographic with Disney money — that his subject is a loon but, equally, not leaving that interpretation off the table.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Notably, @TCUFootball did not poke fun at Belichick’s relationship with his 24-year-old girlfriend Jordon Hudson.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
3 Sep. 2025
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There was a valley of veins moving over his hands, blue rivers poking underneath his hairless arms.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.
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