What does "dither" mean?
Trembling, shaking, or shivering.
Dither
/ˈdɪðə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Trembling, shaking, or shivering.
- Grammar: dither is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: ache, aching, agitation, all overs.
- Useful contrasts: act responsibly, certainty, choose.
- Usage evidence: I'm all in a dither about the concert.
How to use "dither"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dither" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dither" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dither" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dither" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dither" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ache" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dither", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Trembling, shaking, or shivering. countable, intransitive, uncountable
- 2 an excited state of agitation wordnet
- 3 A state of nervous excitement. countable, intransitive, uncountable
"Everyone was in a dither; either in it or about to get in it or just climbing out of it. Naturally, the Madam was not in a dither. Dither was a foreign concept to her."
- 4 The state of being undecided; indecision; vacillation. countable, intransitive, uncountable
- 5 Any algorithm applied to digital data to minimize the effects of quantization:; A form of noise intentionally added to remove artifacts caused by digitization. countable, intransitive, uncountable
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Any algorithm applied to digital data to minimize the effects of quantization:; The use of dot patterns in an image or graphic to approximate colors not available in the system palette. countable, intransitive, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To tremble, shake, or shiver. intransitive, literally
"Presently he came running out of the scullery, with the soapy water dripping from him, dithering with cold."
- 2 make a fuss; be agitated wordnet
- 3 To be uncertain or unable to make a decision; to vacillate, hesitate, or delay. figuratively, intransitive
"2012, The Economist, Sept. 22nd issue, "Indian Reform: At Last" The dithering Mr Singh of recent times may worry that his reform proposals are already too bold. The reforming Mr Singh of yore would see them as just the start."
- 4 act nervously; be undecided; be uncertain wordnet
- 5 To do something nervously. intransitive
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To apply an algorithm to digital data to minimize the effects of quantization:; To use dot patterns in an image or graphic to simulate colors or shades not in the system palette. intransitive
"Look at how pixelly this wall texture is. You almost don't even notice the dithering when driving by quick. Up close though, it's real chunky."
- 7 To apply an algorithm to digital data to minimize the effects of quantization:; To intentionally add noise to a signal to remove artifacts caused by digitization. intransitive
Example
"I'm all in a dither about the concert."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dither"?
Common synonyms include: ache, aching, agitation, all overs, all-overs, alternate.
How do you use "dither" in a sentence?
I'm all in a dither about the concert.
How do you pronounce "dither"?
Pronounced /ˈdɪðə/.
Etymology
Variant of didder, from Middle English dideren (“to tremble”). Compare Middle English bididren, bididdren (“to seduce, deceive”), from Old English bedidrian, bedyderian (“to deceive, trick”). Alternatively, perhaps with expressive voicing from *titeren, from Proto-Germanic *titrōną. If so, then a doublet of teeter and cognate with Old High German zittarōn (German zittern) and Old Norse titra (Faroese titra, Icelandic titra). Alternatively an unrelated reduplicative onomatopoeia.