dawdles

VERB

delay; waste time

Synonyms

STRONGEST

laze loiter mosey procrastinate saunter

STRONG

amble dally dilly-dally drag idle lag loaf loll lounge poke stay stroll tarry toddle trifle wait

WEAK

bum around diddle-daddle fool around fritter away get no place fast goof off hang around hang out lazy put off scrounge around shlep along sit around sit on one's butt warm a chair

Antonyms

STRONG

do go run rush

WEAK

forward hasten hurry push speed

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.

If Minnesota dawdles, it “will rack up $1 billion of deferred payments this year,” the CMS head said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

It is the role of prosecutors to vindicate that interest by initiating judicial action when a defendant dawdles.

From Slate • Oct. 7, 2024

The story dawdles through its first and second acts, but in its final third does find a more deliberate pace.

From New York Times • Nov. 29, 2022

Many of Dellario’s gently impressionistic pictures depict Rock Creek as it dawdles through and around large, glistening rocks.

From Washington Post • Aug. 26, 2022

But he dawdles at breakfast, he dawdles at tea— He’s the greatest small dawdle that ever could be; And when in his bedroom, it is his delight To dawdle in dressing at morning and night.

From Happy Days for Boys and Girls by Various