1
as in panic
a state of nervous or irritated concern
Grandma usually gets in a dither if I don't make my weekly call
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in butterflies
a sense of panic or extreme nervousness
we were all in a dither while we waited for the test results
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
we dithered all afternoon over whether to go to the park or to the movies and ended up doing neither
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dither
Kjartan Rist,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2026
But that counterintuitive ranking, in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican statewide in years, has Democrats in a dither and reform advocates once again saying that California needs to shift to a more representative form of voting.
—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
People shouted over each other as the performers dithered over ideas and raced around the venue.
—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dither
Noun
Europe, by Shah's reckoning, has used regulation to dampen digital assets rather than enable them, while the UK once again dithers over which way to jump.
—
Kjartan Rist,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2026
But that counterintuitive ranking, in a state that hasn’t elected a Republican statewide in years, has Democrats in a dither and reform advocates once again saying that California needs to shift to a more representative form of voting.
—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
As the authorities dithered, people across the city grew restless.
—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
People shouted over each other as the performers dithered over ideas and raced around the venue.
—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dither
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dither
Noun
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The resulting anxiety and panic are an unfortunate side effect of a banner year for fireworks shows.
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Sandy has taken flight, but not without sending eagle-eyed viewers of the Friends of Big Bear Valley eagle nest cam into a Sunday-morning panic.
Noun
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Everything that keeps the testicle alive and functional runs through the spermatic cord — arteries, veins, nerves and lymphatics, bundled together along with the vas deferens.
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Magnesium helps your muscles and nerves calm down, and can also play a role in the development of melatonin.
Verb
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When King asked if the unnamed celebrity was the one, Brown didn't hesitate.
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The girls don’t hesitate to lay into him either with Trinity, Melanie, and Aniya all coming to Kenzie’s impassioned defense.
Noun
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But for now, she’s unbothered by all the fuss and plans to relax into the summer with her family.
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Some of the South’s sweetest small towns are more than ready to welcome you for a laidback, fuss-free, quiet weekend away.
Noun
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This is sending shivers down the spines of regular Democrats, who now sheepishly admit the party has been turned over to the left-wing loons.
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The warning that exuberant investors might not be quite rational sent temporary shivers through global stock markets.
Verb
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And once performance falters, customers are likely to lose faith in your brand.
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Russell Henley also made a 4-under push on Sunday to finish 10-under, while Cam Young faltered in the final pairing with a 1-over round to finish 10-under as well.
Noun
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Devers walked back to the dugout in a huff.
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David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.
Noun
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The combination of heat and high humidity feels insufferable and dangerous because the human body can't cool off as effectively when sweat stays on the skin.
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Foad adds that the idea of eliminating toxins comes from sweat washing away trace amounts of heavy metals from the skin, rather than flushing toxins from inside the body.
Cite this Entry
“Dither.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dither. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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