dawdle
verb (used without object)
to waste time; idle; trifle; loiter.
have dawdled
-
present perfectof dawdle.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
It’s amazing how hearing the umpire yell “Strike!” or “Ball!” as a penalty, just because you have dawdled an instant too long, can speed up a fellow’s metabolism.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 28, 2023
Many people have seen their credit scores drop as a result of medical bills that insurance companies have dawdled in paying, often causing doctors and hospitals to turn over bills to collection agencies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 16, 2015
But we have dawdled since the beginning of the epidemic.
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 19, 2014
Unlike British shipowners, who have wasted no time in placing orders for new ships, U.S. shipping men have dawdled over design, speed and size.
From Time Magazine Archive
I have dawdled and dallied, and refused to face things long enough.
From The Halo by B. Martin Justice
