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 There has been a lot of hand-wringing lately about whether artists can still afford to live in New York. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 27 Aug. 2026 Ocasio-Cortez’s choice to share her egg-freezing publicly has kicked off furious debate and confused hand-wringing among conservatives. — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for hand-wringing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing

Noun

Capital One jumped 3% after struggling last week amid worries about higher gasoline prices and credit delinquencies.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
Several hacks on government infrastructure underscored growing worry over the use of AI to undermine cybersecurity.

— Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of worry

Noun

The swelling majorities, with some races still too early to call, underlined a deep sense of voter anger and concern over the economy and the state of democracy.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Nov. 2026
The projects drew opposition over concerns about water consumption, electricity costs, and environmental protections.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of concern

Noun

Research has also found that across generational groups, greater user tendency to engage in social comparison, together with greater maladaptive ways of coping with emotions, is associated with more symptoms of anger, anxiety, and depression.

— Ashwini Nadkarni, Time, 24 Oct. 2026
The market for profiting off male body anxiety is nothing new.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of anxiety

Noun

His wife, Stacy Petit Bennett, told the outlet her husband called her in a panic as his truck became surrounded by floodwaters on San Filippo Drive.

— Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
On Wednesday, a rush to open new accounts elsewhere crashed other banks’ mobile apps, fueling public panic.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of panic

Noun

Better Over Time should give him an opportunity to expunge his anguish and, if not necessarily heal, then find clarity on why his preternatural talent has brought a mixture of blessings and frustration.

— Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
His role as a theater director in ‘The Debut,’ isn’t the showstopping kind, but it is made memorable for the actor’s moments of tenacity, anguish and vulnerability.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of anguish

Noun

Fortune recently reported on wealthy parents’ growing fear that their fortunes will sap their children’s drive.

— Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Coupled with job-displacement fears from AI, opponents now point to the facilities as a physical symbol of who benefits from the boom and who gets stuck with the bill.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of fear

Noun

El-Sayed’s former primary opponent, Haley Stevens, upended the race by endorsing Rogers, renewing focus on tensions over Israel and the party’s direction.

— Jill Colvin, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
Acupressure is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that uses finger pressure on points along the body’s energy channels to ease tension, anxiety and physical discomfort.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of tension

Noun

But across this wolf may cry, her breathy delivery becomes so uniform that longing, frustration, and romantic desperation frequently sound indistinguishable.

— Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
Our community is dying; there’s an underlying sense of desperation, grief and pride that can both protect and suffocate out of a need to survive – this film is ultimately a love letter to us, with a sense of knowing.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of desperation

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“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of hand-wringing

noun

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