1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
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Recent Examples of dawdle
Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.
—
Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025
But while the new movie dawdles on its way to Toxie’s origins, then rushes toward a finale with a lurching rhythm that verges on calculated ineptitude, its spirit never feels inauthentic.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range.
—IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
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If Takaichi cannot enact the budget by the end of March, her government would have to compile a stop-gap budget, which could delay execution of spending measures.—
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For people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, delaying or not getting care could be fatal.—
Verb
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Ultimately, however, the lingering impact of being dragged last summer is known only to the officer – who is said to be experienced, with more than 10 years of service as an ICE deportation officer, according to DHS.—
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Early next week, a brief warmup returns highs to the 30s before cooler air likely lingers deeper into mid-January.—
Verb
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Later, the women were in a idling vehicle when Brown allegedly left his Jeep, walked toward them and fired at the car, court records show.—
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David McNew / Getty Images Marquez helped convert Pasadena's fire fleet to renewable diesel fuel so that his crews wouldn't keep breathing in the emissions from idling trucks.—
Verb
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Now, Letts has brought Coon back to Broadway with the Main Stem debut of his 1996 play Bug, a skin-crawling portrayal of people on the fringes.—
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One team member crawled inside and fired paintballs filled with vegetable oil, wildlife organization BEAR League told Fox News Digital on Thursday.—
Verb
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In fact, Ross typically hides from no one, usually strolling through the locker room to make his exit.—
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Spend an afternoon strolling the historic town square, then be sure to snag a seat for dinner at Miss Mary Bobo’s, a former boarding house that now serves family-style Southern comfort feasts across nine dining rooms on three floors.—
Verb
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His arm was pinned into the back window of a car as a suspect sped away, dragging him across the pavement for about 100 yards, according to court documents.—
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At least one woman was dragged along the pavement as officers appeared to prepare additional crowd-control devices.—
Verb
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Its clear, shallow waters were pleasant to wade into after lazing under one of the scrubby trees on the sand.—
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In the summer, that’s most likely catching rays and jumping off the craggy limestone outcrops at Cala Rossa, snorkeling amongst fish at Cala Azzurra, or lazing on for-rent lounge chairs that dot the white sand and cooling off in the clear, turquoise tides of Lido Burrone.—
Verb
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The actress hasn't spoken publicly about her dating life, aside from a few TikTok videos poking fun at her singleness.—
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Continue reading … POLITICS POLITICAL THEATER – Vance reposts meme poking fun at Democrats' Jan 6 candlelight vigil.—
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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