shilly-shallying 1 of 3

noun

Definition of shilly-shallyingnext
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action fortunately, during the crisis there was no shilly-shallying on the part of the president

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shilly-shallying

2 of 3

adjective

as in ambivalent

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shilly-shallying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of shilly-shally
1
as in hesitating
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

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2
as in delaying
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

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shallying
  1. hesitation
  2. ambivalent
  3. hesitancy
  4. lingering
  5. pause
  6. random
  7. poking
  8. hesitance
Noun
  • This rare moment of hesitation from a man who is usually so sure-footed in the recording studio underscores the paradox of Edgar Barrera: a towering figure in Latin music who is most often behind the scenes.
    Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Even after the invasion, the Biden administration’s assistance to Ukraine was beset by hesitation, needless restrictions, and endless deliberation.
    Mitch McConnell, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of hesitation
Adjective
  • The first visit by a reigning monarch in 13 years has revived debate in Australia over whether a British royal should be head of state, although polling shows Australians remain ambivalent about becoming a republic.
    Reuters, NBC News, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Israel and the West were long ambivalent about Assad's fate.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of ambivalent
Noun
  • Even following such an uplifting and dominant win, Newcastle’s baffling, up-and-down campaign demands such hesitancy.
    Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
  • While understandable, this hesitancy can hinder innovative solutions to the sector's challenges.
    Seth Darling, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Definition of hesitancy
Verb
  • In the days since, many people have reported unsafe road conditions and lingering snow — along with uncollected leaf piles from fall leaf collection that were scattered back onto their yards by the snowplows, the council members said.
    Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Sunday will remain mild with highs near 52 and lingering rain chances.
    Nour Rahal, Detroit Free Press, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of lingering
Noun
  • This time of year offers a natural pause to evaluate the past and consider the future.
    Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
  • Drone activity over the weekend forced a pause on air traffic in at least two states.
    Emma Bowman, NPR, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of pause
Adjective
  • Tenants at the time included consulting and law firms, financial advisory and investment firms, as well as the usual mélange of random, oddball businesses.
    Kim Velsey, Curbed, 19 Dec. 2024
  • So in addition to a random chance and bad infrastructure design causing this collision and human driver being at fault, in addition to all of that, the company then did not give all of the information to investigators after the crash.
    Michael Calore, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of random
Verb
  • That very night, British troops heard Germans singing carols and saw decorations poking up from the opposite trenches.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Cast member Bowen Yang appeared dressed as a drone alongside segment host Michael Che, poking fun at the mystery which has left lawmakers and the public demanding answers from government agencies.
    Gord Magill, Newsweek, 22 Dec. 2024
Definition of poking
Noun
  • This hesitance could jeopardize the continent's climate goals and its automotive sector, which is heavily reliant on transitioning to EVs.
    Robert Rapier, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • As the war in Ukraine escalated and the enmity between Moscow and its Western rivals deepened, Lukashenko's apparent hesitance to fully commit to the conflict seems to have bought him some level of freedom from retaliation.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of hesitance
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near shilly-shallying

shilly-shally

shilly-shallying

shimmer

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Cite this Entry

“Shilly-shallying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shallying. Accessed 1 Jan. 2025.

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