1
as in blocking
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2
as in procrastinating
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1
as in halting
to bring (something) to a standstill
endless complaints stalled the process of selecting the winning design for the memorial
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2
as in dying
to stop functioning
the engine stalls sometimes when it's very cold outside
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Recent Examples of stalling
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2025
Jana Choukeir, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Storms are stalling Just before or after landfall, hurricanes are now more likely to stall and dump immense amounts of rain, according to a study published last year.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Other work from Kossin, a former scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who teaches at the University of Wisconsin, stands out for showing a trend toward slower-moving or even stalling North Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes at or near landfall.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
This story is from Floodlight, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action.
—Ames Alexander, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders accused Putin of stalling for time to continue his invasion as diplomatic efforts took place.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Attempts to add more stringent enforcement requirements, however, keep stalling in the Legislature.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
The group’s rise began slowly, with its first two albums stalling near the middle of the Billboard 200 in 1974.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
About 47% are setting back their dream vacations and travel, 31% are stalling on home renovations, 26% are delaying buying or leasing a new car, and 17% are pushing back buying a new house.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows promised swift action and vowed to brook no more stalling tactics from Democrats.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire by stalling in handing over bodies.
—Jana Choukeir, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Storms are stalling Just before or after landfall, hurricanes are now more likely to stall and dump immense amounts of rain, according to a study published last year.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Other work from Kossin, a former scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who teaches at the University of Wisconsin, stands out for showing a trend toward slower-moving or even stalling North Atlantic tropical storms and hurricanes at or near landfall.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025
This story is from Floodlight, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action.
—Ames Alexander, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders accused Putin of stalling for time to continue his invasion as diplomatic efforts took place.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
Attempts to add more stringent enforcement requirements, however, keep stalling in the Legislature.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2025
The group’s rise began slowly, with its first two albums stalling near the middle of the Billboard 200 in 1974.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
About 47% are setting back their dream vacations and travel, 31% are stalling on home renovations, 26% are delaying buying or leasing a new car, and 17% are pushing back buying a new house.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalling
Verb
-
An early-morning group stop ordered by the FAA due to staffing levels, halting all flights, gave way a short time later to a delay spurred by clouds and fog.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The cold causes bacteria to go dormant, temporarily halting their growth.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Singing this material with players who improvise — solos changing, every version being a little different — taught me about that urgent live-ensemble space where everyone’s living and dying by the next player onstage.—
Shirley Halperin,
Rolling Stone,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Shaw-naé explains how then-mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is dying to speak with her, how the Venmo CEO invited her to some fancy app meeting, all while Al Roker is buzzing on her phone to give an update on Friday’s upcoming dinner service.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Federal judge Julia Kobick in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction stopping the Administration from enforcing the policy against Orr and six other individual plaintiffs in April.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Now, a passenger aircraft that can complete make the journey without stopping is in the final stages of construction, Qantas announced on Friday, releasing first images of the plane as it is assembled.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The plane then lifted slightly off the ground before crashing and exploding in a huge fireball.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Nov. 2025
-
That plane, an Airbus A300-600F, was found to have descended at an unsafe altitude, crashing and killing both members on board.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
And, through it all, stocks have continued to steadily rise, buoyed by hopes for Fed rate cuts, stronger-than-expected corporate earnings and slowing but stubborn confidence that an AI boom might reap big rewards for investors.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As for type 2, one of the difficulties of catching the condition in its early stages is that symptoms can develop very gradually.—
Caroline C. Boyle,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The tight end had a big day as well, catching six passes for 101 yards.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
When a school receives five failing ratings, a 2015 Texas law requires the campus in question be closed or a state takeover of the entire district.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Howe made three changes at half-time — Ramsey for Gordon, Osula for Woltemade, Schar for Krafth — but if anything, Newcastle regressed, failing to manage a shot on target between the 39th and 89th minute.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The ingredient works by temporarily blocking nerve signals and causing muscles to relax.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Video shared by police shows a mix of motorcycles, scooters and ATVs blocking an intersection.—
Adam Sabes , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stalling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalling. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
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