Shillyshallying

Shillyshallying is the act of being indecisive or irresolute; procrastinating or hesitating about a decision or course of action. It often involves vacillation, delay, and an inability to commit. Individuals engaging in shillyshallying may overthink, weigh pros and cons excessively, or fear making the wrong choice. This can lead to missed opportunities, frustration, and a reputation for being unreliable or slow to act. The term implies a lack of conviction and a tendency to waver between options, rather than make a firm decision promptly.

Shillyshallying meaning with examples

• The committee, paralyzed by internal disagreements, spent weeks shillyshallying over the budget. No decisions were made because they couldn't agree on even the simplest of ideas.
• He was constantly shillyshallying about whether to accept the job offer, causing him to miss the deadline and lose the opportunity altogether.
• Instead of shillyshallying, she decided to take a leap of faith. This courage led her to a successful new life.
• Faced with a difficult problem, they seemed to be shillyshallying, doing anything and everything to delay a final resolution to the issue.
• His consistent shillyshallying on whether to break up with his girlfriend frustrated her, which contributed to the breakup.