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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If the alliance hesitates, Putin will see weakness and press harder.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The actress hesitates for only a second before divulging the story.—
Galina Espinoza,
Flow Space,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Thiago shines while Fernandes falters Brentford produced one of the standout results of the weekend with a convincing 3-1 victory over Manchester United.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Max Verstappen's victories in the last two Grands Prix have brought him back into the championship fight, although the 69-point gap to Piastri can only be achieved if McLaren falters on every race weekend.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vacillates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillates. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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