dilatory

adjective

ˈdi-lə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce dilatory (audio)
Definition of dilatorynext
as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed the homeowner is claiming that local firefighters were dilatory in responding to the call

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Example Sentences

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 dilatory And some parents-to-be, either superstitious or simply dilatory, hesitate to purchase baby items far in advance. — New York Times, 29 Dec. 2021 What makes this dilatory pace unfathomable is that Democrats know the disastrous implications of the loss of a single Senate seat in the midst of a legislative battle. — Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 27 Oct. 2021 Near the end of the meeting on Tuesday, Allard stopped testimony by raising a point of information and asking a series of procedural questions, a move LaFrance said was dilatory. — Emily Goodykoontz, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Oct. 2021 So Davies gets it right that government decisions, and industry’s dilatory response, have driven the development of EV technology. — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016 See All Example Sentences for dilatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dilatory
  1. leisurely
  2. slow
Adjective
  • That leisurely, labor-intensive scenario is often not possible.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Yamanaka is made for leisurely walks, a visit to the house celebrating the haiku poet Bashō—who stayed here for nine days in 1689—and quiet days in a world of green hills and rushing water.
    — Pico Iyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of leisurely
Adjective
  • Those include Japan’s massive debt that exceeds 200% of GDP, fiscal stimulus that’s expected to worsen the deficit, and a central bank that’s been slow to raise rates in the face of high inflation.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • With two outs, Junior Caminero hit a slow roller on a 1-2 slider that third baseman Encarnacion-Strand could not field cleanly for a run-scoring infield single.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow

Browse Nearby Words

dilatoriness
dilatory
dilemma
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Cite this Entry

“Dilatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dilatory. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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