Quick answer
Dilly Dally means to waste time by hesitating, loitering, or delaying unnecessarily. It is usually pronounced DIL-ee-DAL-ee, and today it is still readable to modern audiences, even if it sounds more deliberate than everyday speech.
Word page
Dilly Dally
To dilly dally means to waste time by hesitating, loitering, or delaying unnecessarily. It belongs to compound oddballs and repetitive words and works best in comic lists, children’s language, and places where sound matters as much as meaning. It still feels usable today, especially when you want a word with more character than the plainest alternative.
At a glance
compound-wordreduplicativeplayful
How to say it
Meaning in plain English
If you dilly dally, you to waste time by hesitating, loitering, or delaying unnecessarily. The verb usually suggests something more expressive, comic, or textured than a plain everyday substitute.
Why this word feels absurd
Dilly Dally feels absurd because its repeated sounds give it a bounce or wobble that makes the word feel half descriptive and half sound effect.
Origin and history
Dilly Dally is generally traced to origin uncertain. In modern use, the history matters less than the strong tone the word still carries.
Is this word still used today?
Dilly Dally is still usable today, especially when you want language that feels more distinctive than the plainest modern alternative.
Example sentences
- The interns began to dilly dally at once when the projector failed again.
- He dilly dallyed through the explanation so fast that nobody trusted the final answer.
- In the play, nervous witnesses dilly dally whenever the magistrate clears his throat.
- She refused to dilly dally about the crisis and gave the room a usable plan instead.
- The children dilly dallyed excitedly after finding the attic full of costumes.
When should you use this word?
Use dilly dally when a plain action verb feels too flat and you want the sentence to carry more motion, tone, or comic texture. It works especially well in comic lists, children’s language, and places where sound matters as much as meaning.
Similar words
argle-bargle, bibble-babble, claptrappery, clink-clank, dilly-dally
Opposite or contrasting words
plain speech, technical precision, literal wording
Common questions
- What does dilly dally mean? to waste time by hesitating, loitering, or delaying unnecessarily.
- How do you pronounce dilly dally? It is commonly pronounced DIL-ee-DAL-ee.
- Is dilly dally still used today? Dilly Dally is still usable today, especially when you want language that feels more distinctive than the plainest modern alternative.
- When should you use dilly dally? Use dilly dally when a plain action verb feels too flat and you want the sentence to carry more motion, tone, or comic texture. It works especially well in comic lists, children’s language, and places where sound matters as much as meaning.
- What words are similar to dilly dally? Similar words include argle-bargle, bibble-babble, claptrappery, and clink-clank.
Editorial note
Edited by Absurd Words. Last updated: May 9, 2026. See the editorial policy for how definitions, examples, labels, and update checks are handled on the site.