as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the president was soundly criticized for his vacillation before responding to the crisis
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vacillation
Indeed, at least some of the vacillations seem to be driven by public opinion.
—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
This is familiar territory for singular sports figures; think of how, over three seasons of 100 Foot Wave, big-wave surfer Garrett McNamara has opened up about his own vacillation between craving dominance and fearing irrelevance.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
Energy policy vacillation in the US is spooking investors and leaving the country less prepared to compete in the global economy.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Your corrupt presidency of graft, vengeance and ceaseless vacillation between loudly complaining and loudly boasting has become like a jackhammer outside our collective window every day since your inauguration.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vacillation
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
This is familiar territory for singular sports figures; think of how, over three seasons of 100 Foot Wave, big-wave surfer Garrett McNamara has opened up about his own vacillation between craving dominance and fearing irrelevance.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
Energy policy vacillation in the US is spooking investors and leaving the country less prepared to compete in the global economy.
—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
16 Apr. 2026
Your corrupt presidency of graft, vengeance and ceaseless vacillation between loudly complaining and loudly boasting has become like a jackhammer outside our collective window every day since your inauguration.
—
Voice Of The People,
New York Daily News,
21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vacillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillation
Noun
-
When Miller unleashed another slider, Suzuki showed no hesitation.
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That hesitation becomes stronger when the candidate frames the pivot as a weakness.
Noun
-
Sidewalk safety, a tale of two cities There is no such hesitancy with cities collecting roadway data.
-
The Iranian regime’s apparent hesitancy to resume in-person talks is a significant step back from the high-level talks that took place in Switzerland earlier this month following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the countries.
Noun
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Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.
-
That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.
Noun
-
Munster’s mosquito-spraying program is once again set to take flight Tuesday after a brief pause, the town announced.
-
His health problems resembled a fall down a long flight of stairs, with pauses at several landings.
Cite this Entry
“Vacillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillation. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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