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
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Recent Examples of dawdles
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
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdles
Verb
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No screens, no distractions—only the kind of presence that lingers long after the vows are spoken.—
Nikita Khanna,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
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Measles also lingers in rooms longer than many other diseases, Weber added.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The association warned that any operational disruption that delays shipments exposes exporters to immediate financial losses and the risk of losing future orders.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
5 Feb. 2026
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When an airport cancels or delays a flight, that means additional cargo is delayed.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
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.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
27 Dec. 2025
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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.—
Madisen Keavy,
CBS News,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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And when the failure drags on long enough, extreme partisanship rushes in to fill it.—
Melissa Derosa,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
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But the process often drags on for years, with a slim success rate.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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House Bill 267 relaxes funding restrictions to the State Housing Initiatives Program, known as SHIP, which provides local governments with money to promote housing affordability for residents.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
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Néfissa relaxes with all generations of her sprawling family.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Feb. 2026
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Ma crawls toward you and plants her palms on your cheeks.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mike understands that energy is the foundation on which everything else rests, from process uptime to jobs and regional stability.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
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In the end, no bicameral or parallel governing structure emerged, and power now rests solely with the prime minister and the cabinet, a fact Saint-Cyr acknowledged in his speech.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Other companies have incorporated AI into their Super Bowl commercials to a lesser extent, according to the outlet, and AI companies will return as well — a commercial from Anthropic pokes fun at ChatGPT incorporating ads.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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Partnerships deserve thoughtfulness as romantic Venus pokes jolly Jupiter, activating your 7th House of Connections and your 12th House of Karma.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dawdles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdles. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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