1
as in to hesitate
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
he's still wavering about whether to take the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of waver
Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
His mood wavers between disgust and disdain, and his people skills were not improved by nearly dying in an ambush that left one policeman dead and Morck’s partner, Detective Sergeant Hardy (Jamie Sives), in a wheelchair.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 2 May 2025
But Woll’s ability to enter a series after the goalie in front of him wavers shouldn’t be discounted.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for waver
Verb
Likewise, Trump’s wavering military support for Ukraine, tariffs on close US allies and threats of annexing Canada and Greenland, have placed unprecedented strains on the Western alliance, while being met with joyful praise in Russia.
—Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 8 May 2025
His mood wavers between disgust and disdain, and his people skills were not improved by nearly dying in an ambush that left one policeman dead and Morck’s partner, Detective Sergeant Hardy (Jamie Sives), in a wheelchair.
—Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 29 May 2025
Noun
This tool weighs in at 1.24 lbs, which feels light after becoming accustomed to using wavers that are close to 2.5 lbs.
—Jesa Marie Calaor, Allure, 2 May 2025
But Woll’s ability to enter a series after the goalie in front of him wavers shouldn’t be discounted.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for waver
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waver
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Ocean protection efforts are faltering, with policy talk far outpacing tangible results.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
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
Noun
-
Koo Min Gyo, a professor at Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Public Administration, expects Mr. Lee to use his party’s sway over the different branches of government to extend his power, while diminishing and stifling his critics.—
Ann Scott Tyson,
Christian Science Monitor,
4 June 2025
-
Yet all along, the defense establishment plan competed with a different vision promoted by radical right-wing parties that hold sway in the government.—
Assaf Orion,
Foreign Affairs,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
Your muscles get tense, your hands are sweaty, your voice starts trembling.—
Aliza Knox,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
The nightmares returned after the shooting As Canty sat trembling for three hours in her professor’s podcasting studio at FSU, she was surrounded by friends, classmates and strangers who had been smashed together by the chaotic terror.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Directed by Bernard MacMahon (who gave us the musical documentary American Epic), this two-hour film offers a detailed portrait of the iconic British rock band, charting their rise from post-war childhoods and early days in the 1960s music scene to their explosive success in 1969.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
-
Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes has released his 21st solo studio album DEFIANT, just one day before launching a national tour across Australia.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Carnal, with care – Jis shook the bedrock of the cordial, conservative Guadalajara community with filth, camp and candor.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
9 June 2025
-
Getty Images The European startup scene was recently shaken by a LinkedIn debate with some venture capitalists applying pressure on founders to embrace a culture of overwork to compete on a global stage.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
Students, businesspeople, and even visiting family members were caught in the fallout, prompting protests and a wave of legal challenges.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
-
The legislation was still being negotiated hours before it was brought to the floor for a House vote, with Johnson eventually relenting to the $40,000 figure after a wave of last-minute bartering.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Despite so much to cheer about, Thug Life doesn’t hit the high notes, mostly because the writing wobbles badly.—
Anupama Chopra,
HollywoodReporter,
12 June 2025
-
In ordinary times, the scenario of muted inflation and a job market that's starting to wobble would make cutting interest rates — a move that tends to boost the economy, sending prices and job openings higher — an easy decision for any central bank.—
Yeo Boon Ping,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waver. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share