1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
don't dillydally on the way to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dillydally
There was the tapping of the top of the bat to his toes, scribbling in the dirt, adjusting his gloves and swiping his shoulder, among other displays of dillydallying.
—
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Anna Brand, CNN, 30 Mar. 2023
Bathroom breaks and other excuses for dillydallying give your heart rate a chance to return to normal.
—Elizabeth Narins, Cosmopolitan, 22 May 2015
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydally
Verb
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This time, with a defender close to the Derby man, Trafford delayed coming out.—
Matt Pyzdrowski,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
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South Park's season 27 premiere was delayed and ultimately moved from Comedy Central to Paramount+ amid parent company Paramount's pending merger with Skydance.—
Emlyn Travis Published,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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The two Queens politicians sat on the lobby floor chanting with the other protesters, as cops lingered at the back of the lobby.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
1 Aug. 2025
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So rather than linger on that, Tamra brings up the Single White Female stuff, beginning with the hair extensions.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But don’t dawdle too long: Mykonian nightlife is just minutes away.—
Chadner Navarro,
Vogue,
16 July 2025
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As if aware that engaging plot is not the story’s strongest suit, Nicholaw keeps his foot on the accelerator throughout, making sure nothing and no one dawdles as the production hurtles from one incident to the next.—
David Benedict,
Variety,
24 June 2025
Verb
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This review pokes a useful hole in the breathless reception this film received, while managing to feel fond.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
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The dish is almost a tease, tickling and poking you by showcasing carrots such that here a confident argument is made to herald them in as the pre-eminent salad vegetable.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Paired with the gray-ish green color palette, sparse decor, and dark atmospherics in the Institute itself, the bleak vibes may be enough to turn some viewers off for good, especially those horror purists who tune in hoping to be terrified rather than just bummed out.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 July 2025
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In a lot of ways obviously, devastated and bummed out.—
Mike Fitzpatrick,
Baltimore Sun,
5 July 2025
Verb
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Ever since Google emerged as the home page of the Web in the early 2000s, media outlets operated under the assumption that Google would reliably crawl their sites and send audience their way.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 July 2025
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Silver floral detailing crawled along the right hip of the gown and the left side of Lohan’s midsection.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
31 July 2025
Verb
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On air quality alert days, the Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency recommends several ways community members can help reduce ozone formation, including taking the bus or biking instead of driving, not idling vehicles and refueling vehicles after 8 p.m What is the heat index?—
Grace Tucker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 July 2025
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They are also encouraged not to idle in vehicles as exhaust fumes can contribute to air pollution.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Pitmaster Roy Perez ceremoniously dragged a metal tub of hot coals up Commerce Street to transfer the fire from the old pits to the new ones.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
23 July 2025
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Charlie's sudden, grotesque exit becomes the catalyst for the rest of the film, dragging her family down a relentless tailspin of grief (and ancestral demons).—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dillydally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydally. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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