SHILLY-SHALLY Synonyms: 253 Similar and Opposite Words

shilly-shally 1 of 3

verb

Definition of shilly-shally

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

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shilly-shally

2 of 3

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shilly-shally

3 of 3

adjective

as in shilly-shallying

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for shilly-shally

Verb

Valkyria hesitated for a split second and Bayley took advantage.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Smear certainly finds Ides of March star Clooney, who never hesitates to put his politics and star power to work, and the rest of the cast stepping into some deep, murky and often digital waters.

— Dominic Patten, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

The tests could easily do the opposite, as people with results suggesting cancer require follow-up testing that overwhelms our healthcare system, potentially delaying diagnoses for people with cancer.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
The game was one of many across the Southland delayed or postponed by lightning, particularly in Orange County.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of delay

Noun

After some hesitation, the co-anchor finally placed his crown on his head.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The slowdown in investment was put down to government hesitation over changes to Italy’s domestic tax incentive for TV shows and films.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitation

Adjective

But while trust in the Democrats on specific issues has increased, AAPI adults are ambivalent about the party as a whole.

— Terry Tang, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
When film and television try to capture the messy morality of these would-be titans, the results are predictably ambivalent.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of ambivalent

Verb

However, turning advanced materials from lab success into commercial products often falters at the production stage, where slow manufacturing and harsh chemical inputs make mass production prohibitively expensive and unsafe.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
That investigation has shown signs of faltering amid a spate of staff turnovers and delays.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of falter

Verb

Coming out of Saturday's showdown in Austin, those questions are going to linger over the next five to six weeks.

— Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of linger

Noun

Opposition or hesitancy has been less focused on Hasan's death sentence which has broad support among Republicans, but on the decision to broadcast it.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Consider the party’s hesitancy in addressing the financial ramifications of China’s demographic decline.

— Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitancy

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.

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“Shilly-shally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shilly-shally. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shilly-shally

verb

noun

adjective

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