DAWDLED Synonyms: 150 Similar and Opposite Words

dawdled

verb

past tense of dawdle

as in delayed

to move or act slowly if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lazied

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of dawdled But, lucky for anyone who dawdled, many of the deals are still active. — Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 June 2026 Flight attendants turned into drill sergeants, barking at passengers who flouted mask rules or dawdled too long eating that snack with the mask off. — Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025 Fava snuffled and dawdled and took her own sweet time up the sidewalk. — Dan Kois, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdled

Verb

The twins still face state rape charges in Miami, and their trial has been delayed as prosecutors awaited the federal case sentencing in Manhattan.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
The trip was going to be delayed and the team wouldn’t be home until the early morning hours.

— Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of delayed

Verb

In one mirror selfie, Hurley lounged on a bed with her bare legs on display, holding up her phone as the oversized ring sparkled on her finger.

— Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
During virtual meetings, Brower and Simone, who are in their mid-30s, appeared on screen while Primrose lounged on their shoulders or heads.

— KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of lounged

Verb

Moton lingered on the turf for a while, punching the turf in pain and dread, before a cart came out to transport him to the locker room.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
But the nearly three dozen residents who still live there say the town is still filled with those who lingered after their deaths.

— Joy Benedict, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of lingered

Verb

Malkin controlled Lapierre’s dump-in attempt near the blue line, toe-dragged past Panther defenseman Gustav Forsling in the slot and beat Black with a wrist shot.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
In my opinion, the president and his incompetent, corrupt acolytes have debased the office and dragged the good name of America through the mud.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of dragged

Verb

In August, Silfab briefly idled production and later furloughed some workers because of production material shortages the company said would last three to four weeks.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
Others idled at the edge of the firelight while the red lights of a surveillance blimp blinked over the mountains to the east.

— Ryan Devereaux, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of idled

Verb

Giamanco crawled in through a shot-out window, reached the special education classroom and reracked his firearm in preparation for a deadly confrontation.

— David K. Li, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2026
In May 2025, after Williams shut off the water in a cell, 10 inmates removed a toilet, crawled through a gap in the wall and scaled a fence out of the jail.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of crawled

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dawdled

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“Dawdled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdled. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dawdled

verb

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