dither
2
8.0
- noun
- /ˈdɪðər/
- She was in a dither over which dress to wear to the important event.
Examples
-
But it is the immediate practical issues that have his congregants in a dither, issues like what in the dickens to do about services on Sunday?
Blog text (32) -
Your mother's all in a dither because of her social reputation.
-
"And now he is all of a dither to make the house ready to receive her.
-
Well, I expect Henry is in something of a dither right now.
Fiction book (1993) -
I'm really in a dither.
Fiction book (1993) -
Rose, you're in an awful dither tonight.
Fiction book (1991) -
I don't know what you're all in a dither about.
-
"I'm sorry," the receptionist said, "with all the excitement, I've been in a dither."
Fiction book (1991) -
When universal suffrage arrived and our currency was liberated from gold in 1971, the money men went into a dither.
Blog text (2) -
My old Army buddy Charlie—who this time of year is hard to separate from his chainsaw—phoned recently in a dither over the news that the Environmental Protection Agency is turning its attention toward the air pollution caused by lawn mowers and other off-road gas-powered machinery.
Fiction book (1995)
Synonyms
137
1.5
A lot of worry or complaint about something small
18
5.9
A short time of nervous worry and confusion
10
8.0
A nervous, excited feeling about something unimportant
5
8.6
Feeling very nervous and confused about something
3
5.5
A time when someone is unsure about a choice
2
8.5
Not being able to decide and changing your mind often
1
8.1
Not able to make a firm decision and often changing their mind
1
4.9
A short time of nervous confusion that makes you forget things
1
9.9
A noisy fuss about something not important
1
9.7
A feeling of worry that makes you restless and uneasy
Antonyms
How Agitated
Surface Forms
Etymology
Dither likely comes from an old sound word like didder that meant 'to tremble' or 'shake', so a dither is a state of nervous excitement or indecision.