1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
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
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
-
Silver firmly stated that the investigation and its findings were not purposely delayed while the Clippers host this All-Star weekend.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Officials from those agencies warned lawmakers that the lapse in funding will leave thousands of personnel working without pay, disrupt disaster reimbursements, delay cyber protections and more.—
Justin Gomez,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Experts point to restricted access to advanced chips and limited capital as lingering constraints.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Back in the Mexico City bar, as the game resumed and fans turned their attention back to the field, the excitement lingered.—
Martin Silva Rey,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The chopper flew upwards, up beyond the treeline, stopping to idle between the small ragged peak of one mountain and the rocky face of another.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
In February 2023, Stellantis idled the assembly plant near Rockford and laid off its last 1,200 workers after halting production of the Cherokee amid dwindling sales.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Maybe the girl had crawled under a neighbor's trailer while playing hide-and-seek.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Well, there was a great deal left in me, in an agony of embarrassment looking around for that hole on the floor to crawl into.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was also photographed strolling the Strip with that same group after being booted from the venue, according to the Daily Beast.—
Brian Niemietz,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
-
In addition to the Sonnenalp, all of the buildings in Vail Village were designed with European alpine architecture in mind, so walking around feels a bit like strolling through a wintry Bavarian fairytale.—
Sarah Kuta,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Demanding papers, dragging away dissenters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Slave catchers could capture them, kidnap them and drag them back South.—
Jesse Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Saltwater crocs laze among the area’s wetlands, while pygmy elephants are often seen replenishing themselves riverside.—
Laura Kiniry,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Further on, sandy-colored cows lazed in the mid-morning sun.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kimmel wasn’t the only late-night host to poke fun at TPUSA’s counter-program, born out of MAGA’s outcry over Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl halftime show.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The Americans, meanwhile, stayed on their best, most humble behavior afterward, trying not to poke the wounded bear.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
