as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
in Congress there was a lot of fence-sitting, with many representatives waiting to see which way the political wind was blowing
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Recent Examples of fence-sitting
There’s merit in seeing both sides of an argument, but there’s no honor in fence-sitting forever, which is Alex’s fatal flaw.
—
Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
The outcome of this exceptionally tight presidential race may turn on whether Harris, in these final days of the campaign, can convince enough fence-sitting voters to embrace that message.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
After the meeting, three delegates who had been fence-sitting for months sought me out for the secret handshake.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 17 Sep. 2024
The endorsement is just one part of Harris' strategy to win over fence-sitting Republican voters.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2024
With the world watching, President Biden delivered a press conference performance strong enough to buy time from fence-sitting Democrats — but wobbly enough to keep the mutiny armed and dangerous.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 12 July 2024
In an impassioned speech – sketched out on little notecards, no less – Rhys had managed to sway enough of the fence-sitting members, and the bylaws had been amended.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
Given the close nature of the race, these fence-sitting voters could play a crucial role in determining who will become the next president.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Anusha Praturu, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
The outcome of this exceptionally tight presidential race may turn on whether Harris, in these final days of the campaign, can convince enough fence-sitting voters to embrace that message.
—David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
After the meeting, three delegates who had been fence-sitting for months sought me out for the secret handshake.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 17 Sep. 2024
The endorsement is just one part of Harris' strategy to win over fence-sitting Republican voters.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2024
With the world watching, President Biden delivered a press conference performance strong enough to buy time from fence-sitting Democrats — but wobbly enough to keep the mutiny armed and dangerous.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 12 July 2024
In an impassioned speech – sketched out on little notecards, no less – Rhys had managed to sway enough of the fence-sitting members, and the bylaws had been amended.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
Given the close nature of the race, these fence-sitting voters could play a crucial role in determining who will become the next president.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fence-sitting
Noun
-
On the ground, first responders described how Watch Duty’s real-time wildfire mapping and alert app has become indispensable when fast-moving fires leave little room for hesitation or error.—
Erin Hill,
PEOPLE,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Weighing crypto risks versus potential returns Financial pros’ hesitation around crypto generally stems from two sources.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Big money’s hesitancy Wall Street hasn’t jumped on board with the same fervor as the average Joe.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
25 Dec. 2025
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Their efforts were met with hesitancy from some families — installing sensors required Ayala to enter homes for installation, and some families had privacy concerns around providing data to the sensors.—
Alonso Daboub,
Mercury News,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The county commissioners will hold a public hearing on the plan for Comanche Circle, and separately consider putting a temporary pause on these types of big developments.—
Elizabeth Campbell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
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Hawke gives me a Harrison Ford-length pause — not out of nervousness, but genuine thought.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Citing Chinese academic research, the report notes that financial and time pressures, especially the cost and burden of child care, are major factors contributing to families’ hesitance.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Dec. 2025
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The judge continued to echo his hesitance following the reveal and shared an Instagram Stories post posing the question for fans.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fence-sitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fence-sitting. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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