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 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 Their relatively easy approval was a stark contrast to the hand-wringing at the Chicago City Council over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transit appointments, which ultimately passed after objections over their direct introductions in committee. — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026 There has been a lot of hand-wringing about the declining population of Los Angeles County, which lost 54,000 people from July 2024 to July 2025, the biggest numeric population drop in the nation during that period, by far. — Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 The lack of hand-wringing from outside legacy media may indicate a bigger shift. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 30 June 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
  • Solar attracted the most investment among renewable energy subsectors during the first six months of the year as countries rush to build capacity as worries grow that global wars will continue squeezing energy supplies.
    — Eugenia Perozo, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Research shows, however, that the public is always a little bit concerned about corruption, and that these worries often do not correspond with particular actions by politicians.
    — Robert Boatright, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • Other areas of concern are the library system's self-check-out kiosks, instances in which minor teenagers handle materials while working or volunteering at a branch, and platforms for loaning electronic materials, Adams said.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Clever and snappy, fresh and silly, a winning combination of classic Looney Tunes gags and contemporary concerns (the press notes mention many influences including, no joke, The Insider).
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of concern
Noun
  • Now, as my anxiety climbed, the smell was becoming inseparable from the fear.
    — Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
  • After years of stomach-gurgling, nail-chewing anxiety, this was an entirely different Arsenal experience.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • Her parents helped create the law, which requires public schools to install a silent panic alarm system directly linked to law enforcement.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Yet there are also signs that the right’s revisionism panic might be petering out.
    — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of panic
Noun
  • There is no dramatic farewell; instead, the moment is marked by Singer’s silent anguish.
    — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The 62-year-old left a note in a Boeing notebook, describing his mental anguish.
    — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • The frenzy followed Beijing’s decision in the mid-1980s to ban imports of almost all blood products – except human albumin – amid growing fears over the global HIV/AIDS crisis.
    — CNN Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Now, as my anxiety climbed, the smell was becoming inseparable from the fear.
    — Ledio Cakaj, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • This week, Shin stated that despite easing US-Iran tensions, inflation in South Korea is expected to remain elevated for a prolonged period.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The two deaths linked to measles that Pennsylvania health officials announced this week set off a flurry of political sparring, misinformation and confusion that only added to the tension over the country’s highest measles burden in 35 years.
    — Jason Kane, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • Newcastle caved at the last reckoning, spent in desperation and laboured in the Premier League, finishing 12th.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The regime's risk tolerance may be increasing, but so is its desperation.
    — Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 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 30 Aug. 2026.

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