1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lazy
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
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Recent Examples of dawdle
Ukrainian officials dawdled on implementing U.S.-proposed reforms to increase civilian control of the military, expand professional military education, and clean up the corrupt defense procurement system.
—
Polina Beliakova, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2023
His fingers dawdled over my remedies, but his gaze was locked on my face.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024
Outside Parliament, a small cluster of policemen were dawdling on the sidewalk.
—Nadia Beard, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2024
Despite these results, however, some Western critics argued that the deal afforded Russia an illegitimate role in deciding its victim’s future and allowed the EU to dawdle on toughening sanctions.
—Elizabeth Pond, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2015
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Polina Beliakova, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2023
His fingers dawdled over my remedies, but his gaze was locked on my face.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 14 Aug. 2024
Outside Parliament, a small cluster of policemen were dawdling on the sidewalk.
—Nadia Beard, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2024
Despite these results, however, some Western critics argued that the deal afforded Russia an illegitimate role in deciding its victim’s future and allowed the EU to dawdle on toughening sanctions.
—Elizabeth Pond, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2015
See All Example Sentences for dawdle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdle
Verb
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Trump had delayed the tariffs once before to allow more time for talks.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2025
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Another feature of Apple’s AI rollout might be delayed, but investors shouldn’t be concerned.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, healthcare costs are climbing, inflation lingers above pre-pandemic levels, and despite some dips, over longer periods of time, life expectancy continues to rise.—
Mike Vietri,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Conclave’s journey mirrored the plot of the film: The papal drama lingered quietly in the background as other contenders got tarred by one scandal or another, then came on late by winning at BAFTA and SAG.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Downstairs, Adrien Brody strolled in with longtime partner Georgina Chapman, while LaKeith Stanfield arrived hand in hand with his wife.—
Jamila Stewart,
Vogue,
2 Mar. 2025
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At the end of it all, Lily Tomlin strolled out and the Oscars, sadly, had just begun.—
Lester Fabian Brathwaite,
EW.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacramento Bee,
26 Feb. 2025
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As Hill sprinted from the trailing vehicle, the president was struck by a second and third shot as Hill crawled onto the back of the Kennedys' accelerating car.—
Bill Trott,
USA TODAY,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Yet even with the credits, demand for Ford's F-150 Lightning electric pickup has faltered, leading Ford to idle the truck's production through the year-end.—
Jarrett Renshaw,
Detroit Free Press,
15 Nov. 2024
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The vehicles also worsen traffic on Lima’s major thoroughfares, increasing idling by cars and trucks, which are rarely electric.—
Maria Gioia,
The Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But the 2013 peace process soon collapsed as tensions reignited, dragging Turkey and the PKK back into a bloody war and ending a two-year ceasefire.—
Eyad Kourdi,
CNN,
1 Mar. 2025
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The most illuminated of them, hatless and dragging, is followed by a marginally more active figure, the only one to acknowledge the viewer’s presence.—
Sarah C. Schaefer,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Without his glasses, Bear even mistakes Giraffe, lazing in a long, almost fully reclined deck chair, for a snake.—
Barney Saltzberg,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
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And boredom, for a team that occasionally stumbles through late-game offense and lazes its way into too many 3s, can be a killer.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2024
Verb
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Read more Adrien Brody gives powerful Oscar speech after Best Actor win The worst Super Bowl ads of 2025 Hulu's Oscars gaffe, email error sparks anger During the ceremony, Oscars host Conan O'Brien poked fun at the Dune star's outfit color choice.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
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Offerman also poked fun at himself with quips about his monotone voice and his appearance.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdle. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
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