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
There’s been a fair bit of hand-wringing in college basketball circles about the lack of Cinderella stories in this year’s NCAA men’s tournament.
—
Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s hand-wringing every year about the Oscars failing to attract younger viewers, but when a category that actually holds some interest to broader Gen Z viewers gets called, it’s treated as an afterthought?
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
While many workers are hand-wringing over the fate of their careers, there are several CEOs who believe humans will be turbocharged rather than crushed by AI.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Depending on the viewer, the video elicited either admiration, outrage or existential hand-wringing.
—Holly Willis, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
There’s obviously a lot of hand-wringing around climbing losing its soul.
—Outside, 23 Feb. 2026
The economic potential is real, but the hand-wringing is overblown.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Despite all the hand-wringing about tampering, the NCAA rulebook classifies it as a Level II violation, not Level I, which usually results in minor penalties.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Beyond music, the creation of a lifelike AI actress named Tilly Norwood has sparked similarly existential hand-wringing across Hollywood.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
There’s hand-wringing every year about the Oscars failing to attract younger viewers, but when a category that actually holds some interest to broader Gen Z viewers gets called, it’s treated as an afterthought?
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
While many workers are hand-wringing over the fate of their careers, there are several CEOs who believe humans will be turbocharged rather than crushed by AI.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Depending on the viewer, the video elicited either admiration, outrage or existential hand-wringing.
—Holly Willis, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
There’s obviously a lot of hand-wringing around climbing losing its soul.
—Outside, 23 Feb. 2026
The economic potential is real, but the hand-wringing is overblown.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Despite all the hand-wringing about tampering, the NCAA rulebook classifies it as a Level II violation, not Level I, which usually results in minor penalties.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Beyond music, the creation of a lifelike AI actress named Tilly Norwood has sparked similarly existential hand-wringing across Hollywood.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
At war while worries about jobs and household costs linger, his approval is down.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Another worry is whether residential and small-business customers will see their bills go up to help cover the costs of the new power needed.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Clicking into the title will give you even more information, including a blurb about what parents need to know, a breakdown of potential concerns and positive qualities about the book, and reviews from kids.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Gables leaders have raised concerns during city meetings about the potential impact.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While 88% of companies report regular AI use, according to McKinsey, adoption may be stalling as a result of employees’ anxiety around the technology displacing them from their jobs.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Noise pollution is a real health issue linked to sleep disorders, elevated blood pressure and anxiety.—
Kim Komando The Kim Komando Show,
FOXNews.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Two decades ago, his grandfather was riding his bicycle when he got cut off by a car, and squeezed his brakes in a panic.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
29 Mar. 2026
-
No endgame That ought to provide some perspective on the panic over the war in the Middle East.—
Bret Stephens,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But some congregants’ anguish over October 7th was compounded by dread about Israel’s brutal, indiscriminate response.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Accenting the anguish by bizarre apparent coincidence, less than two weeks later the National Basketball Rules Committee reinstated the dunk — it had been banned for nearly a decade at the amateur level.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Rabbi Irwin Kula, the panel’s moderator, asked the participants to describe their biggest fear or nightmare.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Sacramento community advocates are sounding the alarm over fears of deep city budget cuts that could impact public safety.—
Steve Large,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The escalating tensions came into sharp focus March 27, when animosity between GOP lawmakers in the two chambers of Congress burst dramatically into view.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
That plan ultimately goes awry, with Margot surviving the attack, smartly staged in a way that doesn’t completely ratchet up the violent tension, keeping the audience in an appropriate level of comfort while not compromising the narrative.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Whether firing Cassidy was an act of desperation or necessity or somewhere in between, all the focus will be on Tortorella's ability to maximize what management clearly believes is a roster capable of competing for a championship.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Blackouts and economic collapse have sparked widespread desperation in Cuba, with citizens openly protesting the government despite decades of political repression.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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