as in irresolute
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vacillating
Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Eric Yttri, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Following years defined by supply chain issues, tariffs and vacillating interest for electric vehicles, carmakers are now also dealing with the traditional problems of affordability and cooling consumer demand.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Virginia Ritter spent most of her of the rest of her life vacillating between empathy and anger for her daughter's killer, all the while serving as a fierce victims' rights advocate in Nashville.
—Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Nov. 2025
By the end of March 2018 Aydın seemed unsure whether to try to clear his name or lay low, vacillating between the two strategies.
—Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
The actress' create a world that engulfs you into their faux-showbusiness drama, a world of women vacillating between supporting each other and backstabbing to get themselves ahead, with striking performances that led to Oscar nominations for Davis, Ritter, Holm and Baxter.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
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
Verb
This hesitation was not the result of vacillating between options in indecision, but an active and regulated brain process to pause before acting due to environmental uncertainty.
—Eric Yttri, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Following years defined by supply chain issues, tariffs and vacillating interest for electric vehicles, carmakers are now also dealing with the traditional problems of affordability and cooling consumer demand.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Virginia Ritter spent most of her of the rest of her life vacillating between empathy and anger for her daughter's killer, all the while serving as a fierce victims' rights advocate in Nashville.
—Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Nov. 2025
By the end of March 2018 Aydın seemed unsure whether to try to clear his name or lay low, vacillating between the two strategies.
—Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
The actress' create a world that engulfs you into their faux-showbusiness drama, a world of women vacillating between supporting each other and backstabbing to get themselves ahead, with striking performances that led to Oscar nominations for Davis, Ritter, Holm and Baxter.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Adjective
-
Where Trump is unrelenting and single-minded, the justices have been inconsistent and unpredictable, and therefore appear irresolute.—
Noah Feldman,
Twin Cities,
24 Dec. 2025
-
Downtown, in his studio at the corner of White and Cortlandt Alley, on a Thursday evening in late July, Wyeth sat on his stool and considered the irresolute underpainting on his canvas.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Others say the divide is real, even if its long-term political impact remains uncertain.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Cooper remains uncertain whether those efforts will be sustained.—
Tony Plohetski,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Now, as the conflict has shown signs of widening to other countries, including Lebanon and Bahrain, traditional safe-haven assets are showing signs of faltering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While there have been repatriation flights organized for South Africans, the couple did not pursue that avenue, being unsure of whether the government could — or would — assist in evacuating two citizens who live outside outside the country.—
Blane Bachelor,
CNN Money,
14 Mar. 2026
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Staff were unsure what food items on the steam table line were on time control.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The price is wrong House hunters clearly can’t stomach stubbornly high prices, as the pandemic-era price surge has stuck despite slumping sales, costlier mortgages and a wobbly business climate.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
18 Mar. 2026
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Brewing economic conditions suggest, however, that when Warsh takes office, presumably in May, central bank policymakers could be facing both a wobbly jobs picture and sticky inflation made worse by spiraling energy prices.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Pritzker, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, spoke to supporters less than a half hour after the polls closed and with his GOP general election challenger still undecided.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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The poll found 16% of likely voters are either undecided or are voting for someone else.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For readers who are ambivalent, prospective, prickly, curious, on the fence, or just plain interested in what’s possible.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
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But DuBois has written a usefully ambivalent book, one that looks for a way to reconcile younger writers’ criticisms of Stanton with her own loyalty to the early women’s-rights activists.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacillating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillating. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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