as in worry
disapproving
worried talk or behavior
There has been a lot of silly hand-wringing over the latest hike in interest rates.
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Recent Examples of hand-wringing
While workers are hand-wringing at the prospect of an algorithm taking their job, bosses are reassuring workers that AI is just like any other technological revolution.
—
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
This has caused the usual hand-wringing about competitive imbalance and the inherent plight of small-market teams.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
The annual hand-wringing around whether New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone should be fired is already under way, but that won’t be decided for weeks as the club’s management takes a breath and grieves the club’s latest playoff exit.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Once more, violent video games will be summoned for a brief moment of soul-searching and hand-wringing by political leaders representing constituents desperate to find a simple solution to our nation’s complex troubles.
—Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Leavy catalogs this wistfulness not in the spirit of hand-wringing, but more as an earnest problem solver.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
On Hacks, the end of Deborah’s and Ava’s late night dreams made for dramatic reckoning, but our heroes eschewed hand-wringing.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
Despite industry-wide hand-wringing over the rise of streaming, watching a movie at home and seeing a movie in the theater are not mutually exclusive experiences.
—Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
The current round of liberal hand-wringing about how conservatives have become far better at driving the political conversation stems in large part from Kirk.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2025
This has caused the usual hand-wringing about competitive imbalance and the inherent plight of small-market teams.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
The annual hand-wringing around whether New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone should be fired is already under way, but that won’t be decided for weeks as the club’s management takes a breath and grieves the club’s latest playoff exit.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Once more, violent video games will be summoned for a brief moment of soul-searching and hand-wringing by political leaders representing constituents desperate to find a simple solution to our nation’s complex troubles.
—Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Leavy catalogs this wistfulness not in the spirit of hand-wringing, but more as an earnest problem solver.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
On Hacks, the end of Deborah’s and Ava’s late night dreams made for dramatic reckoning, but our heroes eschewed hand-wringing.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025
Despite industry-wide hand-wringing over the rise of streaming, watching a movie at home and seeing a movie in the theater are not mutually exclusive experiences.
—Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
The current round of liberal hand-wringing about how conservatives have become far better at driving the political conversation stems in large part from Kirk.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
Meanwhile Syria remains scarred by years of conflict and nationals in Germany are looking on at the debate with mounting worry.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Leaders at big carmakers spelled out their worries in the latest round of earnings calls, saying that finding a replacement for Nexperia at scale in the short term will be difficult.—
Boston Herald Wire Services,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously opposed the bill, citing concerns over potential retaliation against Israeli hostages held in Gaza.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Addressing environmental and material concerns While perovskite materials are relatively affordable, their use of rare elements and lead raises environmental concerns.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The attendees—thirty- and forty-somethings who are members of the bank’s Private Wealth Management (PWM) division, which boasts an average account size of over $75 million—gathered to hash out their anxiety and excitement.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Barton will have to wait another month to receive his sentence for the six guilty counts the jury returned on charges of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety to football broadcasters Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, and TV and radio host Jeremy Vine.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Redirect their attention If your dog is anxious and barking in a panic, your first step is to remove them from the trigger.—
Madeline Gunderson,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
-
At times, though, the panic would close in on me.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
No adolescent defiance or child’s anguish was visible on his face now.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Some critics called for more editorial discipline in the film, or found Lawrence’s onscreen spin cycle of anguish, which involves literally clawing her way up walls or flinging herself through glass doors, to be repetitive.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Cotton argued the shutdown’s cause was not the expiring health care subsidies, but rather Democrats’ fear of blowback from their supporters.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Iran is facing its worst drought in decades, raising fears of evacuations in Tehran while threatening the regime’s stability and nuclear ambitions, according to a leading environmental expert.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The peace declaration included a commitment to withdraw heavy weapons from the border, de-mining efforts, and to de-escalate tensions that erupted into the brief but deadly border conflict.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Meanwhile, the David Lynch–style tension built by Will’s arrival just kind of fizzles.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In desperation, Ben calls their older sister Hannah (Alexandra Daddario), despite scant contact since she got thrown out of the family home years prior.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Two goals down with 30 minutes left, Charlotte pushed forward with desperation but lacked precision.—
Colin Cerniglia,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
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