dally
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He did not dally, perhaps mindful of what had happened the night before.
From BBC ● Jan. 15, 2026
If you dally as the clock approaches 2 p.m. on Sunday, you will see that Jerson Osorio’s team can unbuild a city as fast as they can build one.
From Slate ● Dec. 22, 2024
Don’t dally until it becomes an established problem to deal with.
From Seattle Times ● May 17, 2023
The actors don’t dally or fiddle for motivation.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2022
The girl didn’t steal food, sneak ale, or dally with the guests.
From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman
The author gallops through vital moments in world history across the centuries but dallies over what seem like niche aspects of medieval French history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Nightmare for stand-in Dons captain Angus MacDonald as he dallies on the ball and is dispossessed by Kyogo Furuhashi.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2024
If the Fed dallies, and higher inflation becomes a more lasting feature of the economy, it will be even harder to stamp out.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2022
BST10:12 11 min: Gosling dallies in midfield, and Villa come away with it.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 8, 2015
In and out the woods and valleys, Circling, soaring like a swallow, Love shall flee and thou shalt follow: Though he stops awhile and dallies, Never shalt thou stay his malice!
From Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays by Various
Rennes midfielder Quentin Merlin dallied deep in his own area and was ambushed by Timothy Weah who passed to Amine Gouiri.
From Barron's ● Feb. 3, 2026
It, along with its sibling, had stood empty for nearly 25 years, as local, county and Navy authorities dallied on what to do with them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2023
Two minutes later though, Carreras dallied over a clearing kick to allow Dan to charge down, gather up and take revenge and restore England's advantage at 23-17.
From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2023
After the fourth try, scored by Etzebeth, made it 26-25, Dupont dallied on the ball and got knocked back as South Africa won a penalty and went further ahead.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 15, 2023
Having dallied with the priesthood in the Anglican Church, he abandoned it to become a caseworker.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
In doing so, McAfee showed he’s not one for dallying, setting the trial 11 days before the Nov. 3 deadline.
From Slate ● Sep. 12, 2023
Richarlison spurned two good chances to double Tottenham's lead - both from superb Maddison balls - the Brazilian dallying long enough to give Bournemouth time to clear before sending a close-range header into the side-netting.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2023
Darrah’s dallying with cowboys, desert rats and glitter queens around a seedy motel isn’t, itself, altogether new to modern opera stagings, but it felt fresh and right for this little-known score.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2022
In the meantime, a few brands are dallying with cool stuff on the side.
From New York Times ● Mar. 25, 2019
He’s dallying around, probably just keeping a low profile while he waits.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Vocabulary lists containing dally
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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King Lear
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Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
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