dawdle
daw·dle/ˈdɔdl̩/verb, noun
dawdle is spelled D-A-W-D-L-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables (daw·dle). It appears about once in every 11 million words in written English, the 98,107th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, dawdle means “Chiefly followed by away: to spend (time) without haste or purpose” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in dawdle?
| Letters | 6: D-A-W-D-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: daw·dle |
| In writing | about once in every 11 million words; the 98,107th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is dawdle?
Dawdle appears about once in every 11 million words in written English, the 98,107th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce dawdle?
- UK /ˈdɔːdl̩/
- US /ˈdɔdl̩/
- /ˈdɑdl̩/
As a noun (“Alternative spelling of doddle (“a job, task, or other…”): /ˈdɔːdl̩/, /ˈdɒdl̩/, /ˈdɔdl̩/.
Dawdle has 2 syllables, split daw·dle in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-dawdle.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-doddle.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with dawdle?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as dawdle (/ɔdl/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: waddle.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of dawdle
- dawdles present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- dawdling participle, present
- dawdled participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural
- daudle
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does dawdle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
Chiefly followed by away: to spend (time) without haste or purpose.
to dawdle away the whole morning
- 2
To spend time idly and unfruitfully; to waste time.
- 3
To move or walk lackadaisically.
If you dawdle on your daily walk, you won’t get as much exercise.
noun
- 1
An act of spending time idly and unfruitfully; a dawdling.
- 2
An act of moving or walking lackadaisically, a dawdling; a leisurely or slow walk or other journey.
- 3
Synonym of dawdler (“a person who dawdles or idles”).
- 4
Alternative spelling of doddle (“a job, task, or other activity that is easy to complete or simple”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Dawdle in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | glander, lambiner , flâner, musarder, pateter |
| German | herumtrödeln, herumlungern, herumbummeln , bummeln, klüngeln, nölen |
| Spanish | pelotearse |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.