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
The hand-wringing around the future of NASCAR’s championship format, which divided the fan base and sparked endless debates, will be answered this month when a new system is announced.
—
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
So much for all that hand-wringing.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Here is why hand-wringing should remain tempered.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2025
There has been much hand-wringing lately about the future of Apple’s senior leadership team as its chief executive and his loyal lieutenants approach traditional retirement age.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
In the book’s introduction, Kaplan does a bit of perfunctory hand-wringing about the state of the country, arguing that Decca is a model for how to generate empathy in a time of polarization.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
All the recent obituaries for videos are premature, just as all the hand-wringing over the decline of MTV seems extremely postmature.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
Back when the film was released and first became a hit, there was no small part of hand-wringing around Hollywood that Coogler’s deal would set a bad precedent for the studios on a long-term basis.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 14 Nov. 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
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
So much for all that hand-wringing.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Here is why hand-wringing should remain tempered.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2025
There has been much hand-wringing lately about the future of Apple’s senior leadership team as its chief executive and his loyal lieutenants approach traditional retirement age.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2025
In the book’s introduction, Kaplan does a bit of perfunctory hand-wringing about the state of the country, arguing that Decca is a model for how to generate empathy in a time of polarization.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
All the recent obituaries for videos are premature, just as all the hand-wringing over the decline of MTV seems extremely postmature.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
Back when the film was released and first became a hit, there was no small part of hand-wringing around Hollywood that Coogler’s deal would set a bad precedent for the studios on a long-term basis.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 14 Nov. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
Meanwhile, a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has created worries about the Fed's independence, and whether it might be politically influenced.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2026
-
First Amendment, press advocacy groups concerned by search The search warrant is raising First Amendment worries from press freedom advocates.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Grimsson pointed out that concerns about Russia or China's growing influence in the Arctic were overblown.—
Anniek Bao,Dan Murphy,
CNBC,
15 Jan. 2026
-
With the protests in Iran growing by the day, the conversations in our chats changed to signs of hope even amid grave concerns about our family's safety.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Somehow, this new sensation emitted an awareness of the magnitude in which skateboarding would warp my life, which only ratcheted up the anxiety of blowing it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The news this week that an ICE agent had shot and killed a woman in Minnesota heightened his anxiety.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Witnesses described scenes of panic as flames spread rapidly through the basement level before engulfing the upper floor.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Kaitlin spent the first weeks of her newborn son’s life in a panic.—
Lucas Waldron,
ProPublica,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
However, the announcement has not dispelled the uncertainty or anguish among detainees’ families.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Nacua lay on the turf at Bank of America Stadium, not in physical pain but instead in mental anguish.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The construction plans have generally raised fears that the London complex could serve as a Beijing intelligence hub.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Several Venezuela residents told TIME that the fear of what might be discovered on their phone at a checkpoint has guided their behavior in the days since Maduro's ouster.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In August 2023, Starsiak Hawk opened up about tension between her and her family on her podcast, Mina AF.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
South Korean officials have said that Lee and Takaichi would likely touch on the tensions between China and Japan on Lee’s two-day visit.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At the time, Luchin told ABC7 that financial desperation following the closure of his Walnut Creek restaurant, Ottavio, played a role in his actions.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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