Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
⏳ To delay 🐄 Animal compartment 🛒 A small booth 🚗 To stop running ⏳ A delay tactic ✈️ Loss of lift ✈️ To lose lift 🐄 To house animal 🎭 Front seats
to stall

to stall

218 4.3
To delay doing something on purpose to get more time
  • verb
  • /stɔl/
: dilatar
  • In the meeting, he decided to stall the discussion until he had more information.
  • stall the negotiations
  • stall the talks
  • stall the process

But for me, it's like honoring that contentedness while also not letting it like, stall me.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Well, I'll stall as long as I can, but you know Tony.

    This Could Be the Night (1957)

  • I stalled as long as I could.

    God's Country (2012)

  • So yeah, I was really just trying to stall to come up with a quick answer.

  • I need you to stall your speech for a few hours.

    Uncle Sam (1996)

  • Now we, we have to stall for time.

    Deadly Harvest (1977)

  • I was stalling for an answer.

    Behind the Burly Q (2010)

  • Sorry guys, I'm going to have to stall for time because I'm the most stumped that I have been so far.

  • In Oklahoma, a ban on the procedure passed the House but has stalled in the Senate.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Betty doesn't know how much longer she can stall Mrs. Beatrice.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • But opposition from religious groups and medical associations has stalled numerous state bills aimed at easing restrictions.

    Academic text (1997)

Synonyms

to wait
vsto stall
∞ 1.0

To stay in one place or delay action until something happens

is a deliberate postponement used to gain time rather than passive waiting
to delay
vsto stall
442 1.4

To make something happen later than planned

is used intentionally as a tactic to gain more time
to wait on
vsto stall
  • US
226 3.9

To delay doing something until someone answers or a situation changes

is used tactically to gain time before making a decision
to postpone
vsto stall
214 3.4

To delay something until a later time because of a problem

is a deliberate delay used to gain extra time rather than mere scheduling
to hold up
vsto stall
161 2.8

To cause a delay in plans or progress

refers to intentional self-delay to gain time rather than external cause
to buy time
vsto stall
151 4.1

To delay something on purpose to get more time to prepare

means the same deliberate delay but not only to prepare
to put off
vsto stall
129 2.9

Delay something until a later time

is done as a deliberate tactic to buy time not just rescheduling
to hold back
vsto stall
116 3.5

Wait before doing something because you feel unsure

delays deliberately to buy time rather than from uncertainty
to hold off
vsto stall
99 3.8

To wait before doing something

is a deliberate wait aimed at getting extra time for action
to wait around
vsto stall
  • Informal
94 2.5

To spend time doing nothing while waiting for someone or something

refers to intentional delaying to gain extra time before taking action
to defer
vsto stall
  • Formal
68 5.5

To delay something until a later time

is the tactical delaying of action to gain more time rather than formal postponement
to hold off on
vsto stall
41 4.2

To wait before doing something

focuses on delaying specifically to gain more time before acting
to procrastinate
vsto stall
27 6.5

To delay doing something you should do because you avoid it

is a purposeful delay to gain time or advantage not habitual avoidance
to bide
vsto stall
25 7.4

To wait patiently for the right time to act

delays to buy time now rather than wait for long opportunity
to table
vsto stall
  • Formal
20 7.3

To delay discussion or a decision about something until later

is a tactical delay aimed at gaining time rather than administrative scheduling
to dawdle
vsto stall
17 5.0

Move or act slowly and waste time, causing delay

delays with intent to gain time rather than from mere slow movement
to put on the back burner
vsto stall
8 5.6

To delay dealing with something until later and make it less important

is a deliberate time-gaining tactic rather than merely deprioritizing
to stall for time
vsto stall
  • Informal
6 4.8

To delay doing something to get more time

has identical meaning but is the shorter single word form
to mark time
vsto stall
  • Informal
5 6.3

Spend time waiting without making progress, doing unproductive things

is instead a deliberate delay used specifically to gain extra time
to play for time
vsto stall
  • Informal
4 5.0

To delay on purpose to get more time before deciding or acting

emphasizes tactical delay specifically to gain time
to gain time
vsto stall
3 6.1

Delay something on purpose to have more time before a decision

uses delay as a tactic to gain decision time
to put on ice
vsto stall
2 5.8

To delay a plan or project for a while

is used when delay is tactical to gain time rather than long suspension
to dillydally
vsto stall
  • Informal
2 8.3

To waste time by being slow or unsure about what to do

is an intentional tactical delay to gain more time not mere indecision
to shillyshally
vsto stall
  • Informal
1 9.9

Hesitate instead of deciding or acting quickly

is instead a deliberate delay tactic to gain time before acting or deciding
to bide one's time
vsto stall
  • Informal
1 7.5

Wait for a good chance before acting

delays to gain immediate extra time rather than wait for opportunity
to hangfire
vsto stall
9.9

To wait before acting and risk losing a chance

is a deliberate delaying tactic to gain time not merely harmful hesitation
to drag one's feet
vsto stall
  • Informal
5.5

To be slow on purpose because you do not want to do something

is a tactical delay aimed specifically at buying extra time
to drag one's heels
vsto stall
  • Informal
7.5

To delay doing something because you do not want to do it

is used as a deliberate time-gaining strategy rather than mere resistance
to take one's sweet time
vsto stall
  • Informal
7.5

Do something slowly on purpose and without hurry

is a purposeful delay to gain extra time before acting not leisurely pace
to kick one's heels
vsto stall
  • Informal
7.8

To wait doing nothing because you are delayed or bored

is instead a deliberate delay to gain time not passive forced waiting

Antonyms

to proceed
697 3.0

Begin or continue an action after a pause, often as planned

to advance
382 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

Phrasal Verbs

to stall for time
  • Informal
6 4.8

To delay doing something to get more time

Compounds

shower stall
  • US
4 2.1

A small enclosed space in a bathroom with a shower for washing

choir stall
1 8.5

A carved wooden seat in a church where priests or singers sit during services

coffee stall
  • Indian
1 1.7

A small movable stand that sells hot coffee and simple food on streets, often at night

stall bar
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A frame of horizontal bars fixed to a wall for exercise

front-stall
  • Archaic
9.9

A metal plate that protects a horse's head in battle

starting stall
  • Specialized
5.8

A gate at the starting line that holds each horse or racer before a race starts

How Delaying

to drag out
  • Informal
40 5.1
to stall
218 4.3
to postpone
214 3.4
to delay
442 1.4

Surface Forms

stall infinitive
stalled past
stalled past participle
stalling present participle
stalls third person singular

Etymology

The verb stall meaning to delay comes from the old English steall meaning 'stand' or 'place', so to stall is to make progress 'stand still' while you wait or get more time.