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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally
Verb
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This creates bottlenecks, where employees hesitate to act without approval.—
Carlos Hoyos,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025 -
Inside Space Force: Here's What the New Agency Does To be sure, some countries may hesitate to align civilian space activities with a military alliance.—
Andrew Hanna,
Time,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Ron Johnson supported it despite advocating that the House now delay its adoption.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Apr. 2025
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The deadline has been pushed several times to provide people more opportunities to get the card, and then subsequently delayed through COVID.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The source of hesitation is President Trump’s latest tariffs, which, as announced earlier this month, included a 46% tax on imports from Vietnam, the country’s eighth-largest trading partner.—
Stephanie Yang,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
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Studies show that financial trauma can lead to avoidance behaviors, chronic underinvestment, and hesitation in wealth-building strategies even among women who appear financially stable on paper.—
Alejandra Rojas,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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If the book falters, the production numbers – some based on famous Marilyn images and tropes, like the Seven Year Itch‘s subway grate scene, and the Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend bit – are suitably flashy.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
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Even before the tariffs, Tesla’s business was faltering.—
Lora Kolodny,Ari Levy,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And though a few dozen people left the dinner early to catch the end or start of various performances, which included Charli XCX and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, about half of the long table lingered after dessert to continue chatting with their tablemates.—
Ye Fan,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Still, memories of the show lingered in a few significant minds: both Stephen Sondheim and Fred Ebb felt its influence.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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At least one legislator expressed hesitancy during a Senate committee vote Wednesday about the legislation’s expansive footprint.—
Christine Condon,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
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Concerns about data quality, compliance and the rapid pace of AI advancements have created hesitancy, particularly when AI is hastily deployed into customer-facing applications.—
Sumit Johar,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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What’s more, these narrators commonly achieve their spectral detachment only in the ambivalent or ruinous aftermath of procreation.—
Jordan Kisner,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2025
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France has often been ambivalent — even resistant — toward the #MeToo movement.—
John Leicester,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Others, of course, love the show's ability to poke fun at the cultural and political zeitgeist of the moment.—
Eric Berger,
Ars Technica,
14 Feb. 2025
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The success of Deadpool & Wolverine was a bright spot in 2024, but that movie soared to success in part by poking fun at Marvel's failings.—
Eliana Dockterman,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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