temporizing

verb

present participle of temporize
as in stalling
formal to avoid making a decision or giving a definite answer in order to have more time Pressured by voters on both sides of the issue, the congressmen temporized.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporizing
  1. stalling
  2. delaying
  3. lingering
Verb
  • Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr seems, at least in jest, to have the answer to the question currently stalling the last moves of NBA free agency.
    — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 16 July 2026
  • Oil tankers are now reluctant to travel through the Strait of Hormuz, stalling supplies as a result.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 July 2026
Definition of stalling
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
Verb
  • This season, our editors are savoring the activities that take us back to some of our favorite childhood days—jumping off docks, sliding down twisty pool slides, and lingering outside long into the evening.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • Any strange or lingering foot symptoms, though, could be a sign of a bigger health condition.
    — Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 3 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

temporizes
temporizing
temps
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Cite this Entry

“Temporizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporizing. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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