WAVERING Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

wavering 1 of 3

noun

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wavering

2 of 3

adjective

as in uncertain

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Dissimilar Words

wavering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of waver

as in hesitating

to show uncertainty about the right course of action he's still wavering about whether to take the job

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in faltering

to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the steel tower wavered for a moment before falling over

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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 wavering

Noun

Off in the distance, the church bell tolled one wavering note, was silent, tolled another. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 After his years of national wavering, Volpato’s entrance officially tied him, for the rest of his life, to Australia. — Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 1 July 2026 And with Trump remaining popular in the state — despite some nationwide wavering over issues including the economy — proximity to the president has been a campaign feature for all of the Republicans vying for the state's top office. — ABC News, 23 June 2026 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 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 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

Adjective

Sony has also shown a wavering commitment to its digital stores. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026 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

Verb

But its machines need replacing, and the Federal Reserve is wavering on spending the money. — Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 24 July 2026 Wall Street’s support for Netflix is wavering after the streaming platform’s latest results on Thursday failed to ease concerns over slowing growth, with a number of analysts slashing price targets for the stock. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 17 July 2026 But after posting their best quarter on record, chipmakers are wavering. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 July 2026 But fans are wavering with Eli Raridon off to the NFL, even with Cooper Flanagan returning and five-star freshman Ian Premer enrolling. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 June 2026 There wasn't any attention wavering out there. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026 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, 9 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wavering

Noun

Roseman said there was no hesitation about off-field concerns.

— Zach Berman, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Women's hesitation stems from less encouragement, fear of appearing incompetent, and distrust in AI, which can exhibit biases against women.

— Kim Elsesser, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of hesitation

Adjective

All available polling data indicates that the public mood in Russia is growing more uncertain and anxious.

— Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
But advocates like Amy Behnke, who leads the Health Center Association of Nebraska, said the state's notices were confusing and left many low-income people uncertain if the new rules apply to them.

— Julie Wernau, NPR, 31 July 2026

Definition of uncertain

Verb

While some may be looking for more reasons to eat cookies, many more are simply hesitating to eat salads and other fresh produce amid a multistate outbreak of cyclospora, known for that unpleasant symptom, among others.

— Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
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

Definition of hesitating

Verb

The Athletic spoke to those close to Rooney — who did so anonymously to protect relationships — about his transformation from faltering broadcaster to one of the bright points of the national broadcaster’s coverage.

— Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
The boy was burly and had a remarkable strength and energy that stayed throughout his life, only faltering in the very last throes of death.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

Definition of faltering

Noun

During the panel, Flanagan shared that there were initial hesitancies about creating the series.

— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026
Even though The Fool has forward momentum, like Plath, that momentum can lead to hesitancy — one step in the wrong direction, and The Fool falls off the cliff.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026

Definition of hesitancy

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

Definition of irresolute

Verb

Noe negotiated with Li Shan in a pidgin mix of French, English, and Cantonese as the workers fanned out on the wobbling platform, slipping on the slick bodies and shells of the catch.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
If symptoms escalate to vomiting, wobbling or bright red gums, get to a veterinarian as quickly as possible.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

Definition of wobbling

Noun

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.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
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

Definition of hesitance

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wavered

wavering

wavers

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“Wavering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wavering. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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adjective

verb

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