How to Pronounce Dilly-dally

To pronounce "dilly-dally", say DILLYD-ally — 2 syllables, IPA /ˈdɪliˌdæli/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

dilly-dally

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Accent

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Speed

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2

Syllables

11

Letters

/ˈdɪliˌdæli/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “dilly-dally”

"dilly-dally" has 2 syllables: dillyd-ally.

What does dilly-dally mean?

verb

  1. To dawdle; to waste time; to procrastinate.

Hear “dilly-dally” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Related words

procrastinatestalldawdledelayinghobbleprevaricatingdillydallydiddle-daddle

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "dilly-dally"?▾

"Dilly-dally" has 2 syllables: dillyd · ally.

What is the IPA transcription of "dilly-dally"?▾

The IPA transcription of "dilly-dally" is /ˈdɪliˌdæli/.

What does "dilly-dally" mean?▾

Dilly-dally: To dawdle; to waste time; to procrastinate.

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