1
as in lurching
to make a series of unsteady side-to-side motions
as their boat seesawed in the rough water, the rescue team tried to get the passengers off the sinking ship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bobbing
to make short up-and-down movements
the price of the stock has been seesawing all week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of seesawing
Jim Cramer warns investors to stay the path and avoid seesawing between the wrong narratives about the Federal Reserve needing to lower interest rates to avoid a recession.
—
Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seesawing
Verb
-
The administration’s lurching one way and another with tariffs is another example.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The title track opens the affair by lurching and creeping forward for ten minutes with odd, off-putting lyrics.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In a video Trump posted to a social media, a small boat can be seen bobbing the water before being struck, resulting in a cloud of black smoke.—
Anne Flaherty,
ABC News,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Across the field, Granite Hills’ talented junior quarterback, Zac Benitez, chilled out, bobbing his head to tunes playing on his headphones.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The sun is out, there’s a cool breeze, and the tree leaves are swaying in the breeze.—
R29 Team,
Refinery29,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The crowd was especially amped up during the performance, with Ciara among many in the audience standing up and swaying (and seemingly singing) along.—
Stacy Lambe,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As such, a study like this doesn’t change her recommendations about pumping and feeding schedules.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Several were pumping liquid concrete into gaps between the pre-cut stone panels.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal and Severance's Tramell Tillman — who are both nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama — both arrived rocking all-white looks that were pure magic.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
-
At the same time Moss was rocking an earring and quoting Jeezy, Surtain was rounding into an All-American at Alabama.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In a new video with Insightec, the Oscar-winning screenwriter, 76, opened up about struggling for years with essential tremor, which left him unable to do simple tasks without shaking, such as holding a cup or writing by hand.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Steam the clams until the shells open, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the size of the clams, shaking the pan once or twice.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Seesawing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seesawing. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share