as in hesitated
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 vacillated
His government has previously vacillated between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian positions.
—
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026
Trump, in phone calls with reporters over the past two days, has vacillated between warmongering and offering unclear details about further negotiations.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Barron vacillated between playing deep in situational dime packages, fitting run gaps as a veritable off-ball linebacker in big-nickel packages, covering tight ends man-to-man, and even started a game at safety.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Their callouts vacillated from descriptions riddled with scientific jargon to exclamations of awe and joy.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Yet Brown, who has vacillated on virtually everything this season, has gone in a different direction.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Trump has vacillated between indifference and contempt for the USMCA, at times threatening to pull out of the agreement altogether and work instead to negotiate two separate, bilateral deals with Mexico and Canada.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
Trump has vacillated in his public statements on the deal.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Aaron Peskin, another supervisor who leaned left, said that Newsom vacillated all the way to the end, as if awaiting the arrival of new information.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 2 May 2026
Trump, in phone calls with reporters over the past two days, has vacillated between warmongering and offering unclear details about further negotiations.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
Barron vacillated between playing deep in situational dime packages, fitting run gaps as a veritable off-ball linebacker in big-nickel packages, covering tight ends man-to-man, and even started a game at safety.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Their callouts vacillated from descriptions riddled with scientific jargon to exclamations of awe and joy.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026
Yet Brown, who has vacillated on virtually everything this season, has gone in a different direction.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
Trump has vacillated between indifference and contempt for the USMCA, at times threatening to pull out of the agreement altogether and work instead to negotiate two separate, bilateral deals with Mexico and Canada.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 18 Mar. 2026
Trump has vacillated in his public statements on the deal.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Aaron Peskin, another supervisor who leaned left, said that Newsom vacillated all the way to the end, as if awaiting the arrival of new information.
—Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillated
Verb
-
But they are mentioned without context, in a way that underlines the Smithsonian’s touchy relationship with an administration that has not hesitated to strong-arm the institution.—
Kelsey Ables,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
Times when studios hesitated about festivals?—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Diplomatic efforts aimed at a more durable peace have faltered.—
Jon Gambrell,
Fortune,
17 May 2026
-
The ceasefire remains tenuous, with diplomatic efforts for a more durable peace having faltered.—
Jon Gambrell,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacillated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillated. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
