For actions:
* Procrastinate: To delay or postpone something, especially out of laziness or a lack of motivation.
* Dilatory: Tending to delay or procrastinate.
* Foot-dragging: To delay or resist doing something.
* Prevaricate: To speak or act evasively or ambiguously in order to avoid committing oneself or revealing the truth.
* Waffle: To speak or act evasively, often in a rambling or incoherent way.
* Stonewall: To obstruct or delay something by refusing to cooperate or provide information.
For speech:
* Verbosity: The quality of using more words than necessary.
* Redundancy: The use of more words than are necessary to convey a meaning.
* Circumlocution: The use of many words where fewer would do, especially in order to avoid saying something directly.
* Grandiloquence: The use of lofty or bombastic language.
The best word to use will depend on the specific situation. For example, "procrastination" might be the best word to use when someone is delaying a task, while "stonewalling" might be the best word to use when someone is intentionally obstructing a process.
Consider the following examples:
* "The company was accused of foot-dragging on the environmental regulations."
* "His verbosity made it difficult to follow his train of thought."
* "She prevaricated when asked about her involvement in the project."
By understanding the nuances of these words, you can choose the most accurate and effective word to describe stalling by excessive means.