TEMPORIZE Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

temporize

verb

Definition of temporize

as in to delay

formal to avoid making a decision or giving a definite answer in order to have more time Pressured by voters on both sides of the issue, the congressmen temporized.

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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.

Recent Examples of temporize Assad lied and temporized, the official said. — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026 Accompanying these principles must be a rejection of the impulse to temporize about the dangers that confront us and a rejection of the bizarre deprecation of our nation and civilization. — Peter J. Travers, National Review, 29 Mar. 2022 Even groups long noted for opposing nuclear power, such as the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Sierra Club, seem quietly ready to temporize on practical matters, such as allowing existing plants to continue as transitional energy sources. — Andrew Cockburn, Harper’s Magazine , 4 Jan. 2022 But in the aftermath of the Georgia victories, which gave their party control of the Senate, congressional Democrats were in no mood to temporize. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2021 Otherwise, the overriding temptation will be to delay, to temporize. — Noam Cohen, WIRED, 18 July 2019 This is a president who, when Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his people, did not temporize. — Aaron Blake, Washington Post, 5 July 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporize

Verb

Walter Mischel, a psychologist who taught at Stanford and Columbia, conducted some of the most famous studies on delaying gratification in the late 1960s and 1970s.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Parents who addressed the board on Thursday urged the district to delay the vote and take more time to review logistics.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of delay

Verb

With broader crypto legislation stalling in Congress, regulators are exerting their existing powers to address individual parts of the market, said Jeff Ko, chief analyst at blockchain infrastructure service provider ViaBTC.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
His remarks came as diplomatic efforts to end the war appear to have stalled.

— Melanie Lidman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of stall

Verb

With their feelings for each other blossoming, the two go out for dinner, which is full of Rushville patrons with lingering hatred for Hal.

— Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
In the scene, Simon’s family speaks Kreyòl — although to varying degrees of proficiency — and the camera lingers on the Haitian feast presented on the table.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of linger

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temporary

temporize

temporized

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“Temporize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporize. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of temporize

verb

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