as in hesitating
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in irresolute
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vacillating
Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Evan Bush, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
This is the Alcaraz who is unbeatable, a man who cut out the vacillating streaks in his game that derailed him in Melbourne and Wimbledon.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Lawsuits have followed many of these funding actions, and the subsequent back-and-forth legal battles have left some grants vacillating between canceled and reinstated.
—Evan Bush, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillating
Verb
-
Even all-world corner Pat Surtain II didn’t have his best day, with Colts quarterback Daniel Jones not hesitating to go after him on routes over the middle.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Sep. 2025
-
As adults, this pattern can look like hesitating to ask for help, avoiding vulnerability or keeping emotional struggles private, even from those closest to you.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The situation is impossible, irresolute— the B.J. Vineses and priests of the world shouldn’t get to walk away scot free.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The prevailing sense among investors and market handicappers entering the month was to expect choppy, irresolute action full of potential scares.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
12 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
China's housing downturn has stretched into a fourth year, with prices, sales, investment and construction activity faltering across the board.—
Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Investors’ long-running enthusiasm for artificial intelligence showed signs of faltering late Tuesday and early Wednesday morning as tech stocks tumbled.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In a world that is polarized, volatile, uncertain, complex and shifting all the time, your leadership can offer a beacon of both continuity and hope.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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That leaves uncertain whether the threats might actually lead to new tariffs or a ban on Russian oil purchases.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead of clarity and a sense of financial empowerment, individuals experience costly missteps and are left unsure of where to find reliable guidance—eroding any trust in the mainstream financial system.—
Sandy Anderson,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
These cases have raised concerns about overzealous responses from companies, and left many companies unsure of how to proceed.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Some analysts express hope the Bay Area’s innovation economy can help steady the region’s wobbly job market, especially if cutting-edge sectors such as artificial intelligence spark hiring in this region.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
19 Sep. 2025
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And then last weekend against USF, Fitzgerald tracked down a wobbly pass from Byrum Brown, who was pressured by Akheem Mesidor, and came down with the ball in the second quarter.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
An additional 9% were undecided.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Both candidates failed to reach the 50 percent threshold, as 11 percent of Floridians remained undecided so far ahead of the election.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Thanks to climate change, Cosmism’s ambivalent and generally hostile attitude towards the natural world should also sound familiar.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Reactions to Breinberg’s victory were respectful and occasionally ambivalent.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vacillating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillating. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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