1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
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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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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
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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Due to the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, CBS delayed the start of the reboot of classic game show Hollywood Squares until Thursday, January 16 at 8 p.m. ET.Marc Berman, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
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Global bond markets are on the rise Bond markets are moving upward, with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield climbing to 4.78% as investors anticipate that the Federal Reserve may delay lowering interest rates until 2026.Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Warren went first, while Poles lingered longer for a private moment with his quarterback.Adam Jahns, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
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The dry down reveals creamy tonka bean and sandalwood base notes, grounding the composition with a soft, cashmere-like warmth that lingers beautifully.Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Instead, Spurs dawdled during negotiations and, in the end, Slot stayed with the Dutch club for another season before joining Liverpool.Oli Gamp, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
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Once again, the Packers — who still had two timeouts — diddled and dawdled and didn’t run another play until there were just 16 seconds left in the half.Rob Reischel, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Some of his fellow officers poked fun at him and his blue vest.Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jan. 2025
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In a signature segment, the Joke Wall, performers in mod regalia poked their heads out of holes in a set, like cuckoos emerging from a clock, and spouted one-liners.Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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When someone in the music industry told him that Deconstruction had already broken up, the news deeply bummed him out.Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
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Feeling bummed about the losing Dallas Cowboys season?Tasha Tsiaperas, Axios, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The two girls then left Leutner alone to crawl out of the forest and find help.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
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If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The time off is a benefit of elimination from the NBA Cup, the Lakers idle during the knockout games this week.Iliana Limón Romero, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
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Employers added just 36,000 jobs in October as Hurricanes Helene and Milton idled about 70,000 workers, according to Goldman Sachs estimates.Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Trump is right to try to end the conflict; a war that drags on indefinitely could eventually turn Ukraine into a failed state.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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Polls show approval ratings for Yoon’s ruling party have been rising as the crisis drags on.Ryan Hogg, Fortune Asia, 10 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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