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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Recent Examples of vacillation
After a whirlwind romance and much theatrical vacillation, Lowell abandoned Hardwick to join Blackwood in London in 1970, a move that would forever mark her as the other woman to Hardwick’s many passionate partisans.
—
Negar Azimi, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
The exhibition continually plays upon vacillations between intimacy and exposure, with one of the Torso prints of black and white buttocks enlarged and sprawling down the length of one gallery.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 4 Oct. 2024
The uptick in shoplifting over the past six months, which follows vacillations trending upward over the past two years, is at least somewhat attributable to macroeconomic factors, according to a study released by LendingTree last week.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 2 Aug. 2024
The intelligent decision militarily was to withdraw them, and after much vacillation and considerable Ukrainian military pressure, that was exactly what Russia did.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 4 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for vacillation
Negar Azimi, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024
The exhibition continually plays upon vacillations between intimacy and exposure, with one of the Torso prints of black and white buttocks enlarged and sprawling down the length of one gallery.
—Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 4 Oct. 2024
The uptick in shoplifting over the past six months, which follows vacillations trending upward over the past two years, is at least somewhat attributable to macroeconomic factors, according to a study released by LendingTree last week.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 2 Aug. 2024
The intelligent decision militarily was to withdraw them, and after much vacillation and considerable Ukrainian military pressure, that was exactly what Russia did.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 4 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for vacillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillation
Noun
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Swinney has been openly critical of the evolving college football landscape, showing strong hesitation to bend his long-standing coaching philosophies.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Machiavelli expressed the idea in The Prince that choosing a side—regardless of the outcome—is always better than neutrality, asserting that action preserves options while hesitation loses them.—
Koray Köse,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Still, there was a lingering hesitancy that often got in his way.—
Stephen Galloway,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Sep. 2025
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These patient and clinician concerns about AI’s role in healthcare point to a broad hesitancy to leverage the technology across the industry.—
Gary Drenik,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Josh Brolin, who played big brother Brandon Walsh, expressed hesitance about a second movie.—
Daysia Tolentino,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
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Probably not, given the company’s strange hesitance to part ways with its current leadership.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The pause will last three years and could save restaurants $850 in fees annually while potentially boosting their sales.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
15 Sep. 2025
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People hear your tone, your pauses, your personality.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vacillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillation. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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