DILLYDALLIES Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

dillydallies

verb

present tense third-person singular of dillydally

as in delays

to move or act slowly don't dillydally on the way to the store

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hangs (around or out)

to spend time doing nothing restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dillydallies

Verb

Even if Illinois delays its natural gas plant closings, the state will need more batteries, and Richardson is rushing to provide them.

— John Lippert, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
In this scenario, the heart attack now drives the pricing, while the prostate cancer delays the application.

— Howard Wolinsky, STAT, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of delays

Verb

Afternoon highs on Friday are expected to be a much cooler 57 degrees as a 40% chance of rainfall lingers in the area.

— Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
That rinse-clean standard matters for anyone worried about buildup, since a scalp oil that lingers after washing can leave hair looking greasy rather than nourished.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of lingers

Verb

Though the sisters are supposedly first-generation Italian American, no whiff of the old country hangs about Kay; Dorothy will at least spit out a few words in Italian.

— Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Turquoise pearl, and azure line the space, and a cylindrical hanging light sculpture made of hundreds of white and gold ceramic fish hangs about the lounge seating area.

— Kristin Braswell, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026

Definition of hangs about

Verb

However, Fed officials fear that the longer the war drags on, the higher the likelihood that the spike will make its way through the broader economy and become embedded in consumer and business expectations.

— Jeff Cox, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
As the comet rotates, fresh ice enters the sunlight and sublimates; the escaping gas then drags entrained dust particles away from the nucleus.

— Joe Rao, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of drags

Verb

When the removal cannot be measured directly, the credibility of each credit rests on the model used to calculate it.

— Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
And 2026’s biggest Halloween nail trend—a spider nail art manicure—rests in the perfect place between the two.

— Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of rests

Verb

There’s also a less than 10% chance of showers, if one of the hurricanes crawls farther up the coast, according to Wofford.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.

— Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of crawls

Verb

The joy Lisa has with her RHUGT cast compared with the dread her RHOSLC cast seems to bring her really bums me out — especially because of how much of this trip is championing the sisterhood of Housewives.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Critical thinking really bums them out.

— Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026

Definition of bums

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

dillydallied

dillydallies

dillydally

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dillydallies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dillydallies. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dillydallies

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes