as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
after a moment's wavering, she accepted his proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in uncertain
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in hesitating
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
he's still wavering about whether to take the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faltering
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the steel tower wavered for a moment before falling over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of wavering
Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
There would be no wavering of any kind on my part this time.
—Patrick Albanese As Told To Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 22 Mar. 2026
The straight march of the High Street turned wavering and sly.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
In this atmosphere, as ProPublica has reported, there’s been widespread wavering on water fluoridation, even in Michigan, where the treatment debuted more than 80 years ago.
—Anna Clark, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
In this atmosphere, as ProPublica has reported, there’s been widespread wavering on water fluoridation, even in Michigan, where the treatment debuted more than 80 years ago.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 14 Jan. 2026
Risks to China’s momentum, US reversals and European wavering spell trouble for electric vehicles in the year ahead.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 6 Jan. 2026
However, the projections being made insinuate some potential wavering on his side.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
This simple step before beginning a project is the easiest way to prevent wavering between keeping an item or discarding it.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
He was encouraged by his timing and sensed Miller might be wavering, especially after an errant pickoff throw put the go-ahead run 90 feet away.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 20 May 2026
One night, Altman took an Ambien, only to be awakened by his husband, an Australian coder named Oliver Mulherin, who told him that Sutskever was wavering, and that people were telling Altman to speak with the board.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Music is the focal point of each service, with Jeffrey playing guitar and keyboards behind the curtain, singing in a wavering voice reminiscent of Jeff Mangum about the subjects, ideas and feelings that have occupied his mind at various stages of his life.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
But by the time the Trojans had gotten into the pressures of February, the optimism was wavering.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 3 Mar. 2026
Rarely wavering and never giving up.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
In his new role, Jejurikar will be tasked with driving sales performance amid a wavering global market.
—Vogue Business Team, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2025
Stocco said in a wavering voice.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 12 June 2026
Markets also have been wavering from spates of heavy selling of stocks in companies linked to the boom in artificial intelligence.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
There was nothing wavering for them.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
Porter also may have muddied the waters with progressive supporters by wavering on positions like minimum wage increases, overtime for farmworkers and her support for single-payer health insurance, according to Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Caroline then, voice wavering and appearing to fight back tears, commemorated the work and life of her late daughter.
—Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
In the years since appearing on BGT, Boyle has stayed true to her hairstyle, wavering only slightly in length and color.
—Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Difficulties in fundraising and wavering institutional support led them to establish an independent space, located in a former auto dealership.
—Brianna J. Heath, ARTnews.com, 26 May 2026
Yields had been down Friday morning, offering some relief, before wavering after oil prices erased their losses and the survey on consumer sentiment showed worsening inflation expectations.
—Stan Choe, Fortune, 23 May 2026
Noun
Throughout it all, Senate Democrats stood united — no wavering, no backing down.
—Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026
There would be no wavering of any kind on my part this time.
—Patrick Albanese As Told To Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 22 Mar. 2026
The straight march of the High Street turned wavering and sly.
—Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 2026
In this atmosphere, as ProPublica has reported, there’s been widespread wavering on water fluoridation, even in Michigan, where the treatment debuted more than 80 years ago.
—Anna Clark, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026
In this atmosphere, as ProPublica has reported, there’s been widespread wavering on water fluoridation, even in Michigan, where the treatment debuted more than 80 years ago.
—Anna Clark, ProPublica, 14 Jan. 2026
Risks to China’s momentum, US reversals and European wavering spell trouble for electric vehicles in the year ahead.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 6 Jan. 2026
However, the projections being made insinuate some potential wavering on his side.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
This simple step before beginning a project is the easiest way to prevent wavering between keeping an item or discarding it.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The same engine that nudges one shopper up can hand another a discount to close a wavering sale.
—Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
He was encouraged by his timing and sensed Miller might be wavering, especially after an errant pickoff throw put the go-ahead run 90 feet away.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 20 May 2026
One night, Altman took an Ambien, only to be awakened by his husband, an Australian coder named Oliver Mulherin, who told him that Sutskever was wavering, and that people were telling Altman to speak with the board.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Music is the focal point of each service, with Jeffrey playing guitar and keyboards behind the curtain, singing in a wavering voice reminiscent of Jeff Mangum about the subjects, ideas and feelings that have occupied his mind at various stages of his life.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
But by the time the Trojans had gotten into the pressures of February, the optimism was wavering.
—Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 3 Mar. 2026
Rarely wavering and never giving up.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
In his new role, Jejurikar will be tasked with driving sales performance amid a wavering global market.
—Vogue Business Team, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2025
Stocco said in a wavering voice.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
The roaring bassline slithers beneath a wavering flute note before the floor gives out, and the song begins its fast and furious descent.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 12 June 2026
Markets also have been wavering from spates of heavy selling of stocks in companies linked to the boom in artificial intelligence.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
There was nothing wavering for them.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026
Porter also may have muddied the waters with progressive supporters by wavering on positions like minimum wage increases, overtime for farmworkers and her support for single-payer health insurance, according to Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Caroline then, voice wavering and appearing to fight back tears, commemorated the work and life of her late daughter.
—Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
In the years since appearing on BGT, Boyle has stayed true to her hairstyle, wavering only slightly in length and color.
—Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Difficulties in fundraising and wavering institutional support led them to establish an independent space, located in a former auto dealership.
—Brianna J. Heath, ARTnews.com, 26 May 2026
Yields had been down Friday morning, offering some relief, before wavering after oil prices erased their losses and the survey on consumer sentiment showed worsening inflation expectations.
—Stan Choe, Fortune, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wavering
Noun
-
With far less hair, Ella’s green eyes seemed greener, like those of the feral black cats that roamed their hamlet, meowing for table scraps, which were often given without hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
-
The result is a workplace trapped between urgency and hesitation.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
The agreement, however, remains uncertain.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
-
The continued legal wrangling made uncertain what his status could be for Tech's remaining games.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.—
David Ornstein,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The economy has shown signs of faltering following a strong first quarter.—
Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
-
After faltering in last year’s Div.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Another common problem for leaders is dealing with the pressure to innovate or the hesitancy to invest from the board.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
-
His hesitancy could undermine one of DeSantis’ key arguments to sway voters, particularly those in small counties, in favor of the amendment.—
Romy Ellenbogen Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Both Fortune and Harris express having great empathy for the protagonist, who was an insecure girl that had an irresolute boyfriend and made a grave mistake.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Art schools, like all schools, are wobbling under the illogic of the cost-benefit math.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Your calm precision can keep the whole plan from wobbling.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
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.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
-
Others, like Choi, believe that knowledge gaps are to blame for donor hesitance to get involved.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wavering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wavering. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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