temporizer

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

tem•po•rize /ˈtɛmpəˌraɪz/   v., -rized, -riz•ing. 

1. to refuse to come to a decision in order to gain time: [no object]
   He temporized until he had more time to think the problem through.
   [used with quotations]
   "I just don't know,'' he temporized, "we'll have to wait and see.''

tem•po•riz•er, n. [countable] See -temp-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

tem•po•rize  (tem′pə rīz′), v.i., -rized, -riz•ing. 

1. to be indecisive or evasive to gain time or delay acting.
2. to comply with the time or occasion;
   yield temporarily or ostensibly to prevailing opinion or circumstances.
3. to treat or parley so as to gain time (usually fol. by with).
4. to come to terms (usually fol. by with).
5. to effect a compromise (usually fol. by between).

Also,[esp. Brit.,] tem′po•rise′. 

• Medieval Latin temporizāre to hang back, delay, equivalent. to Latin tempor- (stem of tempus) time + Medieval Latin -izāre -ize
• 1570–80

tem′po•ri•za′tion, n. 
tem′po•riz′er, n. 
tem′po•riz′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. hedge, stall, equivocate.