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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 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 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 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
  • Thankfully, my worries turned out to be unfounded, because the talent show in this episode turns out to be her time to shine.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The agency faces a $9-billion loss, a looming cash crunch and election-year worries over late mail ballots; Steiner urged voters to send ballots a week early.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of worry
Noun
  • The privacy problem The bigger concern surrounding this tech, however, is privacy.
    — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The new political leadership will also face pressure to address everyday concerns, including jobs, wages and the cost of living.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of concern
Noun
  • There were also savings for people with diabetes, depression, and anxiety.
    — Priyanka D McCluskey, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
  • All this against the backdrop of near-daily drone incursions into European airspace, fueling anxiety in eastern border towns.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxiety
Noun
  • Still, there’s no panic from the ladies in seafoam even after watching two stars hobbled in a matter of days as the regular season ended.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Imagine the panic for the world’s most important fuel if the US bans exports.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of panic
Noun
  • Love is actually heartbreak, pain, anguish, but the myth of love is happiness and joy.
    — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The organization said the discoveries had deepened the anguish of families searching for loved ones.
    — Mogomotsi Magome, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • Retaliation is not unheard of in higher education and fear of scheming colleagues is common.
    — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • That’s a major shift from earlier this year, when fears of AI disruption, concerns about Copilot, and heavy data center spending weighed on the stock.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Gael is herself a little nervous, not only about the tension but about leaving Kayden.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • There had always been tensions among American Jews, and these, in Texas, had a specific character.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of tension
Noun
  • What new extremes of desperation will working artists sink to in this economy?
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • As with all of our best and worst inventions, its motive has always been desperation.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of desperation

Browse Nearby Words

handwringers
hand-wringing
handwriting
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Cite this Entry

“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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