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
This has set off a new round of hand-wringing about grade inflation.
—
Mitch Zimmer, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Silver’s success has also sparked a hand-wringing on social media where users are posting sardonic memes about Bitcoin’s stumbles.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Despite all the hand-wringing about tampering, the NCAA rulebook classifies it as a Level II violation, not Level I, which usually results in minor penalties.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Beyond music, the creation of a lifelike AI actress named Tilly Norwood has sparked similarly existential hand-wringing across Hollywood.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
So much for all that hand-wringing.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Here is why hand-wringing should remain tempered.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2025
In the book’s introduction, Kaplan does a bit of perfunctory hand-wringing about the state of the country, arguing that Decca is a model for how to generate empathy in a time of polarization.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
All the recent obituaries for videos are premature, just as all the hand-wringing over the decline of MTV seems extremely postmature.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
Mitch Zimmer, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Silver’s success has also sparked a hand-wringing on social media where users are posting sardonic memes about Bitcoin’s stumbles.
—Carlos Garcia, Fortune, 29 Jan. 2026
Despite all the hand-wringing about tampering, the NCAA rulebook classifies it as a Level II violation, not Level I, which usually results in minor penalties.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Beyond music, the creation of a lifelike AI actress named Tilly Norwood has sparked similarly existential hand-wringing across Hollywood.
—Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
So much for all that hand-wringing.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Dec. 2025
Here is why hand-wringing should remain tempered.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2025
In the book’s introduction, Kaplan does a bit of perfunctory hand-wringing about the state of the country, arguing that Decca is a model for how to generate empathy in a time of polarization.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
All the recent obituaries for videos are premature, just as all the hand-wringing over the decline of MTV seems extremely postmature.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
Apple has been caught in the fray on worries that a tight memory cycle will eat into hardware gross margins, given that products such as iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches and Macs heavily use DRAM and NAND flash memory.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
-
There are significant worries that AI can readily go off the rails or otherwise dispense unsuitable or even egregiously inappropriate mental health advice.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In the wake of Bad Bunny's halftime show selection in September, many critics raised concerns about a potential language barrier for English-language viewers.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Citi noted that market positioning continues to reflect supply concerns, with oil for near-term delivery trading at a premium to later months, and skewed call option pricing showing that traders are still paying up for protection against higher prices.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This year, anxiety over the federal government and a wavering stock market is making people less secure in their finances, causing some tenants to move in with family or friends — leaving studio and one-bedroom apartments empty.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The nonprofit, formerly known as Sattvic Meals Foundation, aims to address hunger anxiety at community colleges.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Phrases such as new rules or urgent account issues are designed to trigger panic before logic has a chance to catch up.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The work ultimately was not about murder or church burning or Satanic panic, but about complicity, reflecting Ruch’s role as the accomplice back onto the viewer.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And while a whole country’s anguish may put their problems in perspective, that doesn’t necessarily make those problems easier to solve.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Caution and fear, laced with anguish, must inform every decision.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
His greatest fear is summer — when warm weather could bring even larger crowds if enforcement is still ongoing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Students without legal status couldn’t speak out without fear of deportation, and universities were rushing to determine how to implement the ruling.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Further talks were expected on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, but that could change because of a spike in tensions between the United States and Iran.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The Minnesota Timberwolves released a statement from its players regarding the rising anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tensions in Minneapolis.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Teams that flame out in the playoffs will enter the market with desperation and aggressive intentions.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
There’s ample gore and jumpy moments, but the true scariness here is of the forlorn kind; leads Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen play the mounting nightmare with ache and desperation, elevating the emotional tenor of a dolefully eerie movie.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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