hand-wringing

noun

Definition of hand-wringingnext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hand-wringing 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 See All Example Sentences for hand-wringing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
  1. worry
  2. concern
  3. anxiety
  4. panic
  5. anguish
  6. fear
  7. tension
  8. desperation
Noun
  • It’s made from 100 percent cotton and fully lined for lightweight comfort and worry-free wear.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
  • His two biggest worries are that people will potentially lose their business and cities losing the permit income to conduct health inspections.
    — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • Western analysts have raised concerns that Beijing’s expanding role setting global norms around AI will enable it to export the norms of its own highly restrictive media and internet environment.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Alicia Guerra of the firm Buchalter spoke at the June 16 meeting to voice concerns on behalf of the city related to the project.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of concern
Noun
  • Broglio also hopes that athletes learn to look for symptoms such as anxiety, depression and cognitive issues, because many are very treatable.
    — Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 12 July 2026
  • Researchers and psychologists agree that this feeling can fuel anxiety, dissatisfaction, and a constant need to stay connected, for fear of missing an opportunity, an event, or an experience.
    — Ana Morales, Vogue, 11 July 2026
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • Messaging is also critical, given the impact of panic-buying.
    — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • By then, CrowdStrike had fallen to the $90s, as panic had repeatedly ensued.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 5 July 2026
Definition of panic
Noun
  • Andrade said the absence of an official passenger manifest deepened the anguish of dozens of families awaiting the arrival of Flight 164.
    — Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026
  • The series depicts the anguish of an interrupted boyhood and the awakening of a child’s conscience as their safest spaces erode.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 July 2026
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • When a massive Sonoma Coast residential development pitch sparked fears that beach access would be lost.
    — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • While adults like Osul are looking for ways to rebuild their own lives, children are learning to live with fear, grief, uncertainty – and how to make sense of the tragedy.
    — Osmary Hernández, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Wall Street looked past geopolitical tensions with benchmark indexes rising on Big Tech strength and signs of easing inflation, even as Middle East hostilities escalated.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • But Wednesday’s amendment vote is a preview of Democratic tensions to come after nearly half of the caucus voted to support it, including leaders like Whip Katherine Clark and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • Anna Marian Block, a spokesperson for the Republican Governors Association, said Moore’s trip was a sign of desperation for Georgia Democrats, not strength.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Morocco’s quality and desperation ultimately proved the difference as Saibari scored for the third group game running before Soufiane Rahimi’s second-half cameo got them the win.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of desperation

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Cite this Entry

“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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