as in hesitates
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision
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Recent Examples of vacillates
Pearl, Dale’s adult daughter, vacillates between disbelieving that her father committed suicide and blaming her mother for it.
—
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
The opening Allegro vacillates between punchy jabs and fluttery gaiety.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2025
The opening Allegro vacillates between punchy jabs and fluttery gaiety.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillates
Verb
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The sophomore forward rarely hesitates.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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If a gatekeeper hesitates, breathe and restate your win.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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If a birth cohort hits what normally would be their high-earning years just as an economy booms, as the baby boomers did, their lifetime earnings will be far higher than a cohort reaching those ages just as the economy falters or goes into severe recession.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
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But even if Ohtani falters against the Giants, who rank near the bottom of the league in runs scored per game, that will not be a death knell to his candidacy.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacillates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillates. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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