irresolute

adjective

Definition of irresolutenext
as in uncertain
formal not certain about what to do; not resolute He has been criticized as an irresolute leader.

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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 irresolute Both Fortune and Harris express having great empathy for the protagonist, who was an insecure girl that had an irresolute boyfriend and made a grave mistake. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026 Where Trump is unrelenting and single-minded, the justices have been inconsistent and unpredictable, and therefore appear irresolute. — Noah Feldman, Twin Cities, 24 Dec. 2025 Downtown, in his studio at the corner of White and Cortlandt Alley, on a Thursday evening in late July, Wyeth sat on his stool and considered the irresolute underpainting on his canvas. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025 The prevailing sense among investors and market handicappers entering the month was to expect choppy, irresolute action full of potential scares. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2024 Showing signs of being irresolute can signal weakness that adversaries take note of. — Michael Poznansky, Foreign Affairs, 5 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irresolute
  1. uncertain
  2. weak
  3. hesitant
  4. indecisive
  5. wavering
  6. infirm
  7. vacillating
Adjective
  • The problem of longevity possesses philosophical and practical contradictions, now heightened by the gradual disappearance of artists of Serra’s generation and the uncertain posthumous legacy of their work.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The project faces uncertain costs, a timeline that could push exports beyond 2028 and possible legal challenges.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncertain
Adjective
  • Most franchise advertising does not fail because the brand is weak or the market is dry.
    — Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Historically, midterm years see weaker returns, but better times await the following year , especially if there is gridlock from a divided Congress.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Other lawmakers were hesitant to support a repeal but said there should be significant changes.
    — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Students waiting outside my office to ask a hesitant question that lead them to another.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of hesitant
Adjective
  • The rest erred on the side of caution, like a line of indecisive schoolboys queuing up for lunch and merely asking the dinner ladies for whatever their mate just ordered.
    — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Matty is an introvert who, despite his indecisive and hesitant nature, has managed to come out, surrounded by family and friends who support him.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of indecisive
Adjective
  • Sony has also shown a wavering commitment to its digital stores.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026
  • The same engine that nudges one shopper up can hand another a discount to close a wavering sale.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of wavering
Adjective
  • But according to Galloway, shortly before his death in 1989, a friend came upon an infirm Olivier watching one of Leigh’s films.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Earlier this month, Nancy Guthrie, the elderly and infirm mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was violently taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
Definition of infirm
Adjective
  • This is the Alcaraz who is unbeatable, a man who cut out the vacillating streaks in his game that derailed him in Melbourne and Wimbledon.
    — Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of vacillating

Browse Nearby Words

irresistible
irresolute
irresoluteness
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Cite this Entry

“Irresolute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irresolute. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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