Dither
/ˈdɪðər/
verbnounB2
Definition
To dither means to hesitate or be uncertain when making a decision, often because you feel nervous or confused. It shows a person is not sure what to do and may keep changing their mind or delaying action. As a noun, "a dither" means a state of nervous worry or confusion.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
To be unable to decide or act quickly because of uncertainty or nervousness
- •She dithered about which dress to wear to the party.
- •Don’t dither too long or you’ll miss your chance.
- •He was dithering over whether to accept the job offer.
A state of nervous excitement or confusion (noun)
- •The team was in a dither before the big game.
- •The announcement caused a dither among the staff.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dither" like "wait," but with nervousness and confusion—it's not calm waiting, but unsure and worried waiting
- ✓Picture someone standing in front of two doors, moving back and forth, not able to choose which one to open
- ✓It's the feeling you get when you can't decide what to eat because every choice seems difficult or important
- ✓Sounds like "DITHER" → imagine a small bird flapping its wings quickly, unsure where to fly next
- ✓In stories, characters often dither before making big decisions, showing their fear or doubt
- ✓NOT like "decide" (clear choice made)—dither means no decision yet, stuck in hesitation
- ✓NOT like "pause" (calm stop)—dither includes nervous movement or mental confusion
- ✓NOT like "delay" (waiting for a reason)—dither is waiting because of uncertainty or fear
Try Other Words
- •Hesitate: stop before deciding (Use when the pause is calm and brief)
- •Waver: be unsure and change your mind (Use when someone moves back and forth between choices)
- •Vacillate: change opinions repeatedly (Use in formal contexts for repeated indecision)
- •Falter: lose confidence or strength (Use when someone is weak or unsure in action or speech)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: No clear prefix or suffix; "dither" is a simple root word
- •Etymology: Origin uncertain, possibly from Scottish or Northern English dialects meaning to tremble or shake
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe nervous, trembling behavior or indecision
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe people who delay decisions because they feel unsure or nervous
- •Interesting fact: In technology, "dither" also means adding small noise to reduce errors in images or sound, but this is a different meaning
Reflect & Connect
•Think about a time when you dithered before making an important choice. What made it hard to decide?
•How can understanding the feeling of dithering help you be more confident in making decisions?
Fill in the blanks
1.She dithered ___ the two job offers because both seemed good but very different.
2.When people dither, they often feel ___ and find it hard to choose quickly.
3.Unlike a calm pause, to dither means to hesitate with ___ or nervousness.
4.The manager told the team not to dither but to make a ___ decision.
5.During the meeting, he was dithering ___ whether to speak up or stay silent.
6.A person in a dither usually shows signs of ___ or confusion.
7.If you dither too long, you might miss the ___ to act or say something important.