Dillydallying — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Meaning & Definition of Dillydallying

Dillydallying (verb)

to waste time by loitering or delaying, dawdle

Dillydallying (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed

"the dillydallying congress hadn't passed any legislation, and the term was almost over"

similar: crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dragging, laggard, lagging, languid, leisurely, poking, poky, slow, sluggish, snail-paced, snaillike, tardy, unhurried

related: deliberate, measured, inactive, inert, lethargic, loafing, lounging, lingering, loitering, tarrying, ambling, heavy-footed, inching, plodding, shuffling, slow-footed, strolling, decelerating, slowing, filibustering, procrastinating, stalling

opposite: barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind, whisking, zipping

near: expeditious, prompt, ready, accelerated, hastened, quickened, hurried, rushed

Dillydallying (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

to move or act slowly

"don't dillydally on the way to the store"

similar: crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, delaying, diddling, dragging, lagging, lingering, loitering, lollygagging, moping, poking, shilly-shallying, tarrying, dragging one's feet, dropping behind, falling behind, hanging fire, marking time, taking one's time

related: fiddling (around), fooling around, messing around, monkeying (around), playing, pottering (around), puttering (around), trifling, hanging (around or out), idling, loafing, lolling, lounging, ambling, easing, inching, lumbering, plodding, sauntering, shuffling, staggering, strolling, decelerating, slowing (down or up), filibustering, procrastinating, stalling, temporizing

opposite: barreling, bolting, careering, coursing, dashing, flying, hastening, hotfooting (it), hurrying, racing, ripping, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, speeding, tearing, whirling, whisking, whizzing, zipping

near: bowling, breezing, darting, humping, hurtling, hustling, scrambling, stampeding, galloping, jogging, running, sprinting, trotting, accelerating, quickening, speeding (up), catching up, fast-forwarding, outpacing, outrunning, outstripping, overtaking
to spend time doing nothing

"restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying"

similar: bumming, chilling, dallying, dawdling, droning, footling, goofing (off), hacking (around), hanging about (British), hanging (around or out), idling, kicking around, kicking back, lazing, lazying, loafing, lolling, lounging, vegging out, killing time, twiddling one's thumbs

related: fiddling (around), fooling, messing, monkeying, mucking, piddling, playing, pottering (around), puttering (around), trifling, dozing, estivating, hibernating, lagging, lingering, loitering, poking, relaxing, resting, tarrying, ambling, moseying, sauntering, strolling, swanning, furloughing, goldbricking, malingering, truanting

near: drudging, grinding, grubbing, humping, hustling, laboring, moiling, pegging, plodding, plowing, plugging, slaving, sweating, toiling, travailing, working, applying, buckling (down), exerting, putting out

Related Entry: Dillydally (verb)

Dillydally is a different word from Dillydallying. The synonyms below are for dillydally, not for dillydallying.

to move or act slowly

"don't dillydally on the way to the store"

similar: crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, delay, diddle, drag, lag, linger, loiter, lollygag, mope, poke, shilly-shally, tarry, drag one's feet, drop behind, fall behind, hang fire, mark time, take one's time

related: fiddle (around), fool around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle, hang (around or out), idle, loaf, loll, lounge, amble, ease, inch, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stagger, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up), filibuster, procrastinate, stall, temporize

opposite: barrel, bolt, career, course, dash, fly, hasten, hotfoot (it), hurry, race, rip, rocket, run, rush, scoot, scud, scurry, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, whiz, zip

near: bowl, breeze, dart, hump, hurtle, hustle, scramble, stampede, gallop, jog, run, sprint, trot, accelerate, quicken, speed (up), catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake
to spend time doing nothing

"restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying"

similar: bum, chill, dally, dawdle, drone, footle, goof (off), hack (around), hang (around or out), hang about (British), idle, kick around, kick back, laze, lazy, loaf, loll, lounge, veg out, kill time, twiddle one's thumbs

related: fiddle (around), fool, mess, monkey, muck, piddle, play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle, doze, estivate, hibernate, lag, linger, loiter, poke, relax, rest, tarry, amble, mosey, saunter, stroll, swan, furlough, goldbrick, malinger, truant

near: drudge, grind, grub, hump, hustle, labor, moil, peg, plod, plow, plug, slave, sweat, toil, travail, work, apply, buckle (down), exert, put out

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Dillydallying

The most common words with a similar meaning to Dillydallying:

British: hanging about

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Dillydallying

Words with the opposite meaning of Dillydallying:

barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind

Related Words for Dillydallying

Near Antonyms of Dillydallying

Word Forms of Dillydallying

Inflections: dillydallied, dillydallies

Origin & Etymology of Dillydallying

reduplication of dally

First known use: 1740

Frequently Asked Questions about Dillydallying

What does "Dillydallying" mean?

"Dillydallying" means to waste time by loitering or delaying, dawdle. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to waste time by loitering or delaying, dawdle. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Dillydallying"?

Other words for "Dillydallying" include crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dragging, laggard and lagging. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Dillydallying" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Dillydallying"?

There are 98 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Dillydallying". Common alternatives include crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dragging, laggard, lagging, languid and leisurely.

What is the opposite of "Dillydallying"?

Antonyms of "Dillydallying" include barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy and fast. Near antonyms include expeditious, prompt, ready and accelerated.

How do you use "Dillydallying" in a sentence?

Examples of "Dillydallying" in a sentence: "the dillydallying congress hadn't passed any legislation, and the term was almost over"; "don't dillydally on the way to the store"; "restaurant employees who, during the slow periods, would rather be doing something instead of just dillydallying".

Is "Dillydallying" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Dillydallying" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Dillydallying"?

"Dillydallying" is pronounced /ˈdi-lē-ˌda-lē/ and divided into syllables as dil·ly·dal·ly.

What is the origin of the word "Dillydallying"?

"Dillydallying" comes from reduplication of dally. First known use: 1740.