1
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
I didn't shilly-shally but instead raced to the hospital as soon as I heard the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
with dinner guests due in two hours, there was no time to shilly-shally in front of the TV set
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the construction project was once again delayed by the bureaucratic shilly-shally of regulatory agencies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in shilly-shallying
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
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When King asked if the unnamed celebrity was the one, Brown didn't hesitate.
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The girls don’t hesitate to lay into him either with Trinity, Melanie, and Aniya all coming to Kenzie’s impassioned defense.
Verb
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Trump is speaking now to a crowd filling the National Mall after being delayed by inclement weather.
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Attendees were told to shelter in nearby government buildings, and the celebration was delayed by a few hours before going on as scheduled.
Noun
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When Miller unleashed another slider, Suzuki showed no hesitation.
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That hesitation becomes stronger when the candidate frames the pivot as a weakness.
Adjective
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The critical reaction was more ambivalent.
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South Korean public opinion, especially among younger generations, has also grown increasingly ambivalent about the potentially enormous economic and social costs reunification would entail.
Verb
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And once performance falters, customers are likely to lose faith in your brand.
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Russell Henley also made a 4-under push on Sunday to finish 10-under, while Cam Young faltered in the final pairing with a 1-over round to finish 10-under as well.
Verb
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FireSat will help incident commanders get better information more quickly, and, unlike fire-spotting aircraft, the satellites can linger over a fire for days or weeks and aren’t hampered by high winds or smoke.
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The severe weather threat will linger for parts of the mid-Atlantic on Sunday, stretching from northern Virginia into southern New Jersey, with cities like Richmond, DC, Baltimore and Philly in the threat zone once again.
Noun
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Sidewalk safety, a tale of two cities There is no such hesitancy with cities collecting roadway data.
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The Iranian regime’s apparent hesitancy to resume in-person talks is a significant step back from the high-level talks that took place in Switzerland earlier this month following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the countries.
Adjective
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Luka Dončić got traded at midnight on a random Saturday in February.
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Pinned to their random assortment of hats were scrawled, handmade signs proclaiming liberty or death.
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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