Synonyms of tarry

tarry 1 of 3

noun

as in visit

a temporary residing as another's guest

a fable about the tarry of two Americans in a Scottish village that every century magically comes into existence for a day

Synonyms & Similar Words

• visit
• stay
• sojourn
• field trip
• stopover
• layover
• stop
• sleepover
• homestay

tarry

2 of 3

verb

ˈter-ē 

1

as in to wait

to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time

upon seeing the sun beginning to sink in the sky, we realized we had tarried too long on the summit of the mountain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wait
• remain
• stay
• dwell
• hang around
• stick around
• linger
• abide
• await
• loiter
• dawdle
• hold on
• hang on
• overstay
• outstay
• dally

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• leave
• depart
• go
• move
• quit
• exit
• cut out
• walk out
• get off
• pull out
• pack (up or off)
• take off
• bail
• peel off
• bail out
• go off
• pike (out or off)
• clear out
• escape
• flee
• shove (off)
• push on
• push off
• skip
• evacuate
• fly
• get out
• run away
• clear off
• vamoose
• abandon
• forsake
• buzz (off)
• bug out
• book
• vacate
• desert
• abscond
• decamp
• scram
• scat

2

as in to linger

to move or act slowly

the dean tarried in making his decision, still not sure if he should suspend the student or not

Synonyms & Similar Words

• linger
• delay
• crawl
• drag
• poke
• loiter
• dawdle
• stroll
• creep
• mark time
• play
• mope
• lollygag
• lag
• diddle
• fall behind
• stall
• hang fire
• drop behind
• shilly-shally
• shuffle
• dally
• dillydally
• lounge
• idle
• stagger
• trifle
• saunter
• take one's time
• amble
• temporize
• drag one's feet
• loaf
• decelerate
• fool around
• hang (around or out)
• putter (around)
• procrastinate
• fiddle (around)
• slow (down or up)
• potter (around)
• loll
• mess around
• inch
• lumber
• plod
• monkey (around)
• ease
• filibuster

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurry
• hasten
• rush
• course
• race
• tear
• fly
• scurry
• run
• whisk
• career
• speed
• scoot
• rocket
• rip
• dash
• bolt
• barrel
• whirl
• breeze
• zip
• scramble
• dart
• hurtle
• hustle
• gallop
• run
• hump
• accelerate
• stampede
• trot
• scud
• whiz
• jog
• speed (up)
• sprint
• quicken
• overtake
• hotfoot (it)
• catch up
• bowl
• outrun
• outstrip
• outpace
• fast-forward

3

as in to stay

to reside as a temporary guest

he tarried with us all summer, sleeping on the screened-in porch most nights

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stay
• visit
• sojourn
• stop (by)
• haunt
• run in
• occupy
• come over
• step in
• drop by
• crash
• drop in
• inhabit
• frequent
• come by
• hang (around or out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• live
• reside
• dwell
• abide

tarry

3 of 3

adjective

as in viscous

Related Words

• viscous
• gelatinous
• syrupy
• gooey
• ropy
• pitchy
• gummy
• adhesive
• glutinous
• adherent
• sticky
• viscid
• tenacious
• gluey
• tacky
• clingy

Dissimilar Words

• nonviscous
• nonadhesive

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tarry

Verb

America grew up with these boys and tarried with them through light and dark times. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 12 June 2025

To avoid suspicion, the young men decided to tarry for a couple of days rather than cross into the neighboring socialist republic right away. — Longreads, 6 July 2022

Adjective

Often, Petite Sirah produces a wine that is too tarry, too dense, too chewy. — Esther Mobley, SFChronicle.com, 1 Sep. 2020

Ingestion of sago palm leaves, seeds or other plant parts causes liver failure, usually signaled by drooling, vomiting, diarrhea or a tarry black stool, depression, appetite loss, abdominal pain, lethargy and jaundice. — Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 14 Mar. 2018