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 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 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 See All Example Sentences for hand-wringing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing

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

There’s a lot of panic right now about the bumpy intersection of artificial intelligence and art-making.

— Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Unwilling to expose himself in this moment, Paul Baker juggles both of his competing personas, continuing the bro-y shouting but with a new panic in his voice and in Jack Innanen’s expressions.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of panic

Noun

For Alex’s family, those seven months have done little to dull the anguish over what happened to him — or their determination to see the two officers who fired the shots held responsible.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Some say there is a fine line between anguish or sadness — and laughter.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of anguish

Noun

As families wait for news about their relatives, damaged roads, power outages and fears of further flooding have hampered rescue efforts.

— Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
The announcement is spurring fears of a fresh wave of Canadian travelers steering clear of the US.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 29 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

Browse Nearby Words

handwringers

hand-wringing

handwriting

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“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hand-wringing

noun

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