HAND-WRINGINGS Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

hand-wringing

noun

Definition of hand-wringing

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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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 New baby 3, fifth draft… In between, much hand-wringing, catastrophising, drinking of wine, learning of nursery rhymes. — Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026 This has no relevance to anything, but Malcolm’s hand-wringing about the cat’s mental health is just so revealing there. — Merve Emre, The New York Review of Books, 11 Aug. 2026 Deployment is no longer the constraint, and that is a real accomplishment that gets lost in the ROI hand-wringing. — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Instead, the Democratic Party is left with much hand-wringing ahead of November's midterm elections and growing calls for the party's executive leader to step down. — Michel Martin, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hand-wringing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing

Noun

Thankfully, my worries turned out to be unfounded, because the talent show in this episode turns out to be her time to shine.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
The agency faces a $9-billion loss, a looming cash crunch and election-year worries over late mail ballots; Steiner urged voters to send ballots a week early.

— Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

Retaliation is not unheard of in higher education and fear of scheming colleagues is common.

— Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
That’s a major shift from earlier this year, when fears of AI disruption, concerns about Copilot, and heavy data center spending weighed on the stock.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of fear

Noun

Bailey was named co-deputy director in August 2025 to serve alongside Dan Bongino at a time of high tensions between FBI and Justice Department leadership over the handling of the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.

— Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Her existence within pop spaces has come with a bit of inherent tension, as generally left-leaning pop fans have long viewed her potential political affiliations with skepticism.

— Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of tension

Noun

With four great games to choose from, and desperation from half of the teams, this is can’t-miss baseball.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
What readers are saying The comments express strong criticism of Senate Republicans' last-minute legislative efforts before the midterm elections, suggesting these actions are driven by desperation rather than genuine concern for the public.

— Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of desperation

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hand-wringing

handwriting

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“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hand-wringing

noun

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