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
And the burnout risk is real, not generational hand-wringing.
—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The lack of hand-wringing from outside legacy media may indicate a bigger shift.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
30 June 2026
Would all the hand-wringing about the price be moot after experiencing one?
—
Sara Lacey,
The Drive,
25 June 2026
Signs of greater regulatory scrutiny in the country's semiconductor sector also added to the hand-wringing.
—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Signs of greater regulatory scrutiny in the country's semiconductor sector also added to the hand-wringing.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Many of the hand-wringing pieces written at the 2014 World Cup were in the English language, as is this article.
—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Normally, this time of year for Bay Area residents means blooms of orange poppies, graduation announcements and hand-wringing over the San Francisco Giants’ record.
—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
But this hand-wringing has led to little tangible reform.
—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
The lack of hand-wringing from outside legacy media may indicate a bigger shift.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
30 June 2026
Would all the hand-wringing about the price be moot after experiencing one?
—
Sara Lacey,
The Drive,
25 June 2026
Signs of greater regulatory scrutiny in the country's semiconductor sector also added to the hand-wringing.
—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Signs of greater regulatory scrutiny in the country's semiconductor sector also added to the hand-wringing.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Many of the hand-wringing pieces written at the 2014 World Cup were in the English language, as is this article.
—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Normally, this time of year for Bay Area residents means blooms of orange poppies, graduation announcements and hand-wringing over the San Francisco Giants’ record.
—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
But this hand-wringing has led to little tangible reform.
—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
Those worries make sense, and understanding how bird flu spreads and what to watch for is the best way to protect your flock and yourself.
-
Elevation invites visitors to carve wishes, worries, and hopes into the church pews.
Noun
-
To use available resources to block line of sight from the American Glass Research International complex to Trump, despite identifying this line of sight as a concern.
-
Over in the geopolitical front, fresh escalating tensions draw concern as Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine, prompting Poland to scramble jets while Finland restricted airspace.
Noun
-
And at times members of the congregation thank her and others for casting aside those anxieties and keeping this place going.
-
That uncertainty allows anxiety to grow because your brain naturally wants answers that do not yet exist.
Noun
-
Messaging is also critical, given the impact of panic-buying.
-
By then, CrowdStrike had fallen to the $90s, as panic had repeatedly ensued.
Noun
-
Some mourners, gathering at the funeral of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday, expressed both anguish and a desire for vengeance.
-
And with that decision, the company narrowed the chance that the mother’s anguish could draw attention to any danger the formula might pose to other infants.
Noun
-
Bell also spoke of the importance of prioritizing communication in their relationship — especially during moments of fear or insecurity.
-
Our country right now is mired in a level of bullying and intolerance that, for some, might feed their fears, but won’t feed their family.
Noun
-
The clinical version dates to research in the 1960s and 1970s, when devices tracked heart rate variability, muscle tension and skin temperature to help people regulate what was once considered automatic.
-
Analysts expect gas prices to continue falling but remain unpredictable due to geopolitical tensions.
Noun
-
Their desperation comes as the Venezuelan government faces mounting criticism over its response to the crisis.
-
Last week’s desperation deal for David Peterson, a one-time All-Star with the New York Mets, was only the start of a necessary overhaul.
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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