1
as in delayed
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lazied
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dawdled
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
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
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In California, the Los Angeles County Counsel is probing allegations that State Farm delayed, underpaid and denied valid insurance claims from last year's wildfires.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Altman was buried after a private funeral on March 31, after a public service was delayed when his widow went into labor with their daughter.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Their first meeting in 2015, a tactical Mayweather victory in one of the most lucrative bouts in boxing history, has lingered as a stubborn footnote in Pacquiao’s otherwise untouchable résumé.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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The sauce, poured tableside, gave a spicy kick to the dish, and the heat of the serranos lingered on the palate.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Nearby, people and their dogs who had moved into the shelter for the duration of the war lounged on air mattresses, scrolling through their phones.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
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Just days after hard-launching her relationship with French filmmaker Romain Gavras, EmRata lounged in a plunging plush white robe while wearing nothing but some sparkling loud luxury accessories.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Steep post-earnings slides for key software names dragged the broader sector lower, as investors weighed artificial intelligence's threat to software companies' business models.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
24 Apr. 2026
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The findings from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research show a president who is struggling with unfulfilled promises to tame inflation and testing Americans’ patience with a conflict in the Middle East that has dragged on longer than expected.—
Josh Boak,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Earlier on Sunday, Sai Sudharsan continued his fine form with 87 runs off 46 balls as Gujarat Titans strolled to an eight-wicket win over host Chennai Super Kings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
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Yet, as throngs of people strolled the three-block downtown on a recent April weekend, past American flag streamers, patriotic bunting and red brick colonial buildings, there was scant visible evidence of that polarization.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The attendant and one of the passengers worked together at prying open the baggage compartment door while the other passenger crawled around the floor, searching in the thick smoke for a cellphone to try to use as a flashlight, according to the statement transcripts.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
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Two roaches crawled on a rice bin.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Further on, sandy-colored cows lazed in the mid-morning sun.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Kimmel poked fun at the event on his late night show, sharing faux remarks for his own dinner.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Apr. 2026
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The host also poked fun at the Trumps’ living separately despite being married for 22 years.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dawdled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdled. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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