1
as in played
to engage in activity for amusement
he spent his college years dallying, seemingly determined to acquire as little knowledge as possible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lingered
to move or act slowly
don't dally on the way to the interview
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in flirted
to show a sexual attraction for someone just for fun
she spent the summer dallying with a guy renting the neighboring beach house
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in dawdled
to spend time doing nothing
I kept dallying at my desk until I couldn't put off doing my work any longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dallied
Verb
-
Takaoka played a long arcing ball-ahead to Ocampo, who avoided goalkeeper James Pantemis — who had charged off his line — and rolled a shot from the edge of the penalty area inside the back post and into a wide-open net.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026 -
The Current’s still one of the most talented teams in the league, boasting such USWNT veterans as Cooper, Sentnor and LaBonta, along with women who’ve played for other countries — Lorena and midfielder Rocky Rodriguez (Costa Rica), for instance.—
PJ Green
April 5,
Kansas City Star,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The process of getting back to ace form lingered through the first half of the Miami Marlins’ 2025 season.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Strong high atmospheric pressure, which typically doesn’t form with as much strength until late spring or early summer, lingered for a large part of the month, bringing lots of sunshine, consistently above-average temperatures and very little rainfall.—
Anthony Franze,
San Antonio Express-News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Kelce has flirted with retirement the past two offseasons, but two straight disappointing finishes for the Chiefs may have played a role in his decision to come back one last time this fall.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Charlotte flirted with the team record for made three-pointers in a game Tuesday.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
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.—
Thomas Black,
Twin Cities,
21 Dec. 2025
-
Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk.—
Dan Kois,
New Yorker,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Nevertheless, he's repeatedly toyed openly about the idea of running again in 2028.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
-
According to Wolpe, Billie toyed around with the placement of their bush on the terracotta planter in the shape of a woman in a sports bra and ponytail.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
-
Check subscriptions, compare a few price quotes, and choose quality over clutter, especially if your budget talks keep getting delayed or mixed between emails and texts.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
-
American Airlines is telling you why your flight is delayed.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Nearby, people and their dogs who had moved into the shelter for the duration of the war lounged on air mattresses, scrolling through their phones.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
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Just days after hard-launching her relationship with French filmmaker Romain Gavras, EmRata lounged in a plunging plush white robe while wearing nothing but some sparkling loud luxury accessories.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His daughter, Erin Gerber, dragged her three-year-old son onto the front lawn when the vehicle approached the driveway.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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Extortion attempts from that campaign dragged on for months.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Dallied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dallied. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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