as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision
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Recent Examples of vacillate
Similarly, Kiki vacillates between a broad figure of oblivious privilege, not that far removed from Moore’s The Big Lebowski heiress, and a scrapper who feels just as insecure in this place as either sister.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
Triunfo Canyon’s vacillating clime offers warm, direct sun on these south-facing-slope vines by day and cool breezes trapped from the coast by night.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
And the instability caused by the administration’s vacillating trade policy is radiating throughout the local logistics network.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 13 May 2025
In typical New England fashion, the sky vacillated from a blanket of gray to light blue.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacillate
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
Triunfo Canyon’s vacillating clime offers warm, direct sun on these south-facing-slope vines by day and cool breezes trapped from the coast by night.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
And the instability caused by the administration’s vacillating trade policy is radiating throughout the local logistics network.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 13 May 2025
In typical New England fashion, the sky vacillated from a blanket of gray to light blue.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacillate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillate
Verb
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) hesitated to affirm his support for Schumer’s continued leadership.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
13 June 2025
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As good as the night was against an A’s team that has now lost 22 of 26 games, Soriano hesitated to call it his best.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Ocean protection efforts are faltering, with policy talk far outpacing tangible results.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Doctoring provides powerful tools for getting under the hood, but writing offers ones that dig into the interstitial spaces where our more utilitarian tools falter.—
Danielle Ofri,
New Yorker,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vacillate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillate. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
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