1
as in lingers
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lazes
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dawdles
But Koreeda dawdles over all that without ever finding much dramatic nuance, making for a dullish midsection.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdles
Verb
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The math turns against you the moment a balance lingers, though.
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The sisters have reportedly made efforts to remain active within the royal family, but a sense of distance lingers.
Verb
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As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.
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Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.
Verb
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As such, Propco must reapply for permits before resuming construction, which delays the project’s completion until the middle of 2027, according to the documents.
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The deal also delays the elimination of dental help for undocumented adults a year later than Newsom proposed.
Verb
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Within a few minutes, the sphincter muscle usually relaxes to allow for a bowel movement.
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The wind relaxes a bit mid-week, but temps will still hover around the low 90s.
Verb
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Stanford research on more than 100,000 developers found that teams often feel quicker with AI early on, while at the same time racking up technical debt that drags on them later.
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Frieson then appears, drags her by the arm, and closes the door.
Verb
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The authority of a judicial opinion rests not merely on its logic but on the accountability of the judge who signs it.
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Nietzsche says somewhere that the illusion of willpower rests on our tendency to identify with the part of our soul that commands, not the part that obeys.
Verb
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Seltz’s system crawls hundreds of millions of pages a day, and returns results in under 200 milliseconds.
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At sunset, the city starts glowing around you while traffic crawls silently below.
Verb
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In the video, backed by champagne synths and hopscotching snares, a tuxedoed Jaeychino strolls the beach in Margiela sneakers, his jacket flapping in the wind as seafoam washes ashore.
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Cable car rides, riverside strolls, and wildlife sightings add to the experience, while hearty Alpine meals and spa treatments ensure you’re rested, relaxed, and refueled for the next adventure.
Cite this Entry
“Dawdles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdles. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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