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
There were more defections, more hand-wringing calculations.
—
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
But the weekend gathering wasn’t all hand-wringing and liquid refreshment.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Despite one spectacular, pulse-pounding aerial sequence that will take your breath away near the finale, and a brilliant, hand-wringing scene underwater in a sunken submarine, the eighth and perhaps final entry in a franchise that has provided a bounty of escapist thrills is a shrug of a movie.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 May 2025
Huang’s unapologetic stance on AI is bracing in its way, especially in contrast with the public hand-wringing of many AI chieftains, fretting about the dangers of their LLMs while continuing to develop them.
—James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
The latest round of hand-wringing on AI was set off last week when Alibaba’s co-founder said the rush to erect new facilities is getting ahead of demand for AI services.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
Ironically, the film is tracking rather nicely for a March release despite all the hand-wringing and hubbub, with Snow White likely debuting at $50 million to $56 million domestically, according to a leading tracking service.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
There's obviously been a lot of hand-wringing over how Democrats treated the State of the Union address.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2025
When it was published a few years ago in The Believer, the essay prompted much hand-wringing about AI and creativity, separating the collaborationists from the resistance.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
But the weekend gathering wasn’t all hand-wringing and liquid refreshment.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Despite one spectacular, pulse-pounding aerial sequence that will take your breath away near the finale, and a brilliant, hand-wringing scene underwater in a sunken submarine, the eighth and perhaps final entry in a franchise that has provided a bounty of escapist thrills is a shrug of a movie.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 May 2025
Huang’s unapologetic stance on AI is bracing in its way, especially in contrast with the public hand-wringing of many AI chieftains, fretting about the dangers of their LLMs while continuing to develop them.
—James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
The latest round of hand-wringing on AI was set off last week when Alibaba’s co-founder said the rush to erect new facilities is getting ahead of demand for AI services.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
Ironically, the film is tracking rather nicely for a March release despite all the hand-wringing and hubbub, with Snow White likely debuting at $50 million to $56 million domestically, according to a leading tracking service.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
There's obviously been a lot of hand-wringing over how Democrats treated the State of the Union address.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2025
When it was published a few years ago in The Believer, the essay prompted much hand-wringing about AI and creativity, separating the collaborationists from the resistance.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
His worry is that a robust response could be lacking since both the U.S. and a number of European countries have cut so much of their humanitarian aid.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The New York Yankees have maintained an optimistic tone, despite some real reason for worry.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
For Type 2 Diabetes, Potatoes Have a Bad Rap Blood sugar control is no small concern for Americans.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Days before her baby's recent health concern, Vaccaro shared snaps of Capri on the way to church, spending time with a cousin and playing with her mom at a park.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Ultimately, these discussions about college don’t have to include arguments or high anxiety.—
Robert Cole,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
By Linda Wells Skin in the Game Leather Bound Tanning is back, and Gen Z is ignoring the risks, turning to sunbathing and tanning beds to soothe anxiety and feel in control By Erin Flaherty Read On Dietary Restrictions?—
Jeanne Malle,
Air Mail,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As Mackey and Noem bust into the theater, the audience scrambles in panic.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
-
A lot of this movie is just a close-up on her face avoiding — and occasionally giving into — panic.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As the hours pass, the anguish of the families and their fellow miners has increased.—
Cristopher Ulloa,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2025
-
The passage of time may increase the anguish of self-examination, but the search for truth is always worth the cost.—
Gary Knight,
Rolling Stone,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The study is not meant to fuel fears but to provide a clear argument for planetary defense by putting the risks of asteroid impacts into context.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
During the Industrial Revolution, the electrification era and the rise of the internet, every technological leap introduced fear and, eventually, growth.—
Trushant Mehta,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
During the period of high inflation, price rises were being felt across the board, but tensions still mounted, notably between grocers and manufacturers.—
Andrew Butt,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Trump’s secondary tariff threats have escalated tensions between Washington and another of its most important trading partners.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The film follows Man-su (Lee), a once-content middle-class family man who is abruptly laid off from his job, sending him into a spiral of anxiety and desperation.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Aug. 2025
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Breakdown of law and order As desperation mounts, Palestinians are risking their lives to get food, and violence is increasing, say aid workers.—
Sam Mednick,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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