Synonyms of dawdling

dawdling 1 of 2

adjective

as in leisurely

moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed

the dawdling pace of the movie was really making us restless

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leisurely
• slow
• crawling
• dragging
• dilatory
• creeping
• dallying
• unhurried
• lagging
• dillydallying
• sluggish
• tardy
• laggard
• poky
• poking
• slowing
• languid
• snail-paced
• deliberate
• lethargic
• ambling
• snaillike
• loitering
• loafing
• lounging
• lingering
• plodding
• shuffling
• inactive
• inert
• procrastinating
• strolling
• tarrying
• measured
• stalling
• heavy-footed
• decelerating
• slow-footed
• inching
• filibustering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rushing
• rapid
• hasty
• speedy
• swift
• running
• quick
• speeding
• breathless
• brisk
• lightning
• flying
• fast
• racing
• fleet
• whirlwind
• dizzy
• ready
• snappy
• expeditious
• hurrying
• bolting
• prompt
• meteoric
• rocketing
• breakneck
• whirling
• warp-speed
• scudding
• scurrying
• zipping
• scooting
• barreling
• accelerated
• careering
• hurried
• whisking
• rushed
• quickened
• hastened

dawdling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dawdle

1

as in delaying

to move or act slowly

if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure

Synonyms & Similar Words

• delaying
• lingering
• dragging
• crawling
• poking
• strolling
• loitering
• lollygagging
• creeping
• shuffling
• lagging
• playing
• moping
• stalling
• diddling
• dallying
• tarrying
• falling behind
• dillydallying
• hanging fire
• marking time
• dropping behind
• lounging
• idling
• shilly-shallying
• loafing
• ambling
• staggering
• sauntering
• taking one's time
• dragging one's feet
• trifling
• fiddling (around)
• hanging (around or out)
• procrastinating
• puttering (around)
• fooling around
• lolling
• pottering (around)
• plodding
• inching
• decelerating
• monkeying (around)
• messing around
• temporizing
• slowing (down or up)
• easing
• lumbering
• filibustering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurrying
• rushing
• speeding
• flying
• running
• racing
• hastening
• scurrying
• tearing
• whizzing
• dashing
• whirling
• ripping
• scooting
• zipping
• scudding
• darting
• barreling
• bolting
• careering
• whisking
• coursing
• hustling
• scrambling
• hurtling
• rocketing
• running
• galloping
• humping
• stampeding
• breezing
• trotting
• bowling
• sprinting
• jogging
• accelerating
• quickening
• hotfooting (it)
• speeding (up)
• overtaking
• outrunning
• outstripping
• outpacing
• catching up
• fast-forwarding

2

as in idling

to spend time doing nothing

accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control

Synonyms & Similar Words

• idling
• loafing
• lounging
• lazing
• strolling
• lazying
• bumming
• resting
• dillydallying
• footling
• relaxing
• playing
• dallying
• droning
• poking
• chilling
• lolling
• hanging (around or out)
• hacking (around)
• mucking
• killing time
• messing
• goofing (off)
• kicking back
• lingering
• vegging out
• hanging about
• piddling
• monkeying
• dozing
• loitering
• ambling
• fooling
• kicking around
• sauntering
• twiddling one's thumbs
• trifling
• hibernating
• moseying
• lagging
• fiddling (around)
• estivating
• puttering (around)
• pottering (around)
• swanning
• tarrying
• malingering
• goldbricking
• truanting
• furloughing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• working
• plodding
• laboring
• sweating
• grinding
• hustling
• toiling
• plowing
• grubbing
• plugging
• slaving
• humping
• pegging
• drudging
• applying
• buckling (down)
• moiling
• travailing
• exerting
• putting out

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dawdling

Adjective

The third and final wave of a dawdling Pacific storm will hit San Diego County Thursday afternoon, wrapping up four days of soaking rains, heavy snow, tree-snapping winds and lightning that arced through the darkest hours of the night, the National Weather Service says. — Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026

Verb

Gvardiol looked jittery early on, rallied a little to break up some dangerous Porto attacks, but then started giving the ball away again and was booked for a needless pull after being caught dawdling in possession. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025

Faster pit stops could also help unlock sales for electric two-wheelers, which have been slow to catch on due to dawdling charge times and limited riding range. — IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2023