1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dillydally
There was the tapping of the top of the bat to his toes, scribbling in the dirt, adjusting his gloves and swiping his shoulder, among other displays of dillydallying.
—
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydally
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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Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off.—
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My request to ownership is don’t dawdle.—
Verb
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At one point, as Rummler is being dragged toward the building, the video captures blood streaming down his face and his attempts to reach toward his neck and his apparent struggle to breathe.—
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Yet the first episode drags on a bit, laying a ton of groundwork and backstory before the proper investigation begins.—
Verb
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I'mPhaedra Trethan, bummed out about the passing of Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks.—
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Headed to the mountains for the holidays and bummed about the slow progression of the snowpack?—
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.—
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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As its offense crawled back, the defense forced three turnovers on downs.—
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The country is crawling with hot springs and spa retreats, like the famed Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon.—
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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