as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the dawdling pace of the movie was really making us restless
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loafing
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
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Recent Examples of dawdling
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdling
Adjective
-
The leisurely trips meander along the Snake River, near Grand Teton National Park, for several hours.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Once a working farm in the time of the gold rush, since 1962 the Greenhorn has been a place where the day is taken at a leisurely pace, where visitors soak in the 600 acres that abuts to 500,000 more acres of public land.—
Jenny Peters,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The long-term effect is a generation carrying debt, stuck in low-wage jobs, and delaying milestones like homeownership or starting families.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Flush-fit door handles fail far more often during side impacts than regular handles, delaying egress or rescue time after a crash.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Understand the difference between roosts, feeds, and loafing spots.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
During the prelims in Tokyo, Seville had a concerning slow reaction to the starting gun.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Parisian servers may have an undeserved reputation for being slow, but instead of complaining or searching for faster service elsewhere, settle in with a book or newspaper.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Still, there was a lingering hesitancy that often got in his way.—
Stephen Galloway,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Sep. 2025
-
The performance was impacted by the lingering effects of operational challenges, delivery delays and store closures initiated last year.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The filtration system must be robust enough to perform under stop-and-go driving, prolonged idling and urban pollution while also remaining effective between filter replacements.—
Anan Bishara,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Avoid excessive idling and do not top off when refueling motor vehicles.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Fans catapulted themselves through the air, crawling onto the stage.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
16 Sep. 2025
-
But the line is wildly popular—the launch of a collaboration with the street artist KAWS sparked a frenzy in China in 2019, with shoppers crawling under shutters, removing clothes from mannequins, and putting one another in headlocks to get the shirts before they were gone.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This cute camisole is perfect for lounging around or pairing with your favorite sweatpants or leggings.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Matching sets remove the daily challenge of having to coordinate an outfit and are comfortable for a day of lounging or working from home.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdling. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.
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