Quick answer
Lollygagging means wasting time by dawdling or fooling around. It is usually pronounced LOL-ee-gag-ing, and today it is still readable to modern audiences, even if it sounds more deliberate than everyday speech.
Word page
Lollygagging
To lollygagging means wasting time by dawdling or fooling around. It belongs to strange movement words and works best in physical comedy, odd gestures, and descriptions of movement with more character than plain motion verbs. It is still understandable today, but it usually sounds more vivid and deliberate than ordinary modern vocabulary.
At a glance
movementmannerismexpressive
How to say it
Meaning in plain English
If you lollygagging, you wasting time by dawdling or fooling around. The verb usually suggests something more expressive, comic, or textured than a plain everyday substitute.
Why this word feels absurd
Lollygagging feels absurd because it sounds slightly overengineered, as if English kept bolting on syllables until the word itself became part of the performance.
Origin and history
Lollygagging is generally traced to american informal formation related to lollygag. In modern use, the history matters less than the strong tone the word still carries.
Is this word still used today?
Lollygagging is uncommon today, but it still makes sense to modern readers because the tone and meaning come across quickly once you see it in context.
Example sentences
- The interns began to lollygagging at once when the projector failed again.
- He lollygagginged through the explanation so fast that nobody trusted the final answer.
- In the play, nervous witnesses lollygagging whenever the magistrate clears his throat.
- She refused to lollygagging about the crisis and gave the room a usable plan instead.
- The children lollygagginged excitedly after finding the attic full of costumes.
When should you use this word?
Use lollygagging 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 physical comedy, odd gestures, and descriptions of movement with more character than plain motion verbs.
Similar words
Amble, Caper, Dart, Lalochezia, Lapwing
Opposite or contrasting words
steady motion, balance, stillness
Common questions
- What does lollygagging mean? Wasting time by dawdling or fooling around.
- How do you pronounce lollygagging? It is commonly pronounced LOL-ee-gag-ing.
- Is lollygagging still used today? Lollygagging is uncommon today, but it still makes sense to modern readers because the tone and meaning come across quickly once you see it in context.
- When should you use lollygagging? Use lollygagging 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 physical comedy, odd gestures, and descriptions of movement with more character than plain motion verbs.
- What words are similar to lollygagging? Similar words include Amble, Caper, Dart, and Lalochezia.
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.