as in irresolute
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
as in hesitating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vacillating
Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Alexander Smith, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
This hesitation was not the result of vacillating between options in indecision, but an active and regulated brain process to pause before acting due to environmental uncertainty.
—Eric Yttri, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Following years defined by supply chain issues, tariffs and vacillating interest for electric vehicles, carmakers are now also dealing with the traditional problems of affordability and cooling consumer demand.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Virginia Ritter spent most of her of the rest of her life vacillating between empathy and anger for her daughter's killer, all the while serving as a fierce victims' rights advocate in Nashville.
—Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Nov. 2025
By the end of March 2018 Aydın seemed unsure whether to try to clear his name or lay low, vacillating between the two strategies.
—Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
The actress' create a world that engulfs you into their faux-showbusiness drama, a world of women vacillating between supporting each other and backstabbing to get themselves ahead, with striking performances that led to Oscar nominations for Davis, Ritter, Holm and Baxter.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
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
Verb
Trump has been more active than ever on social media in his second term, including posting lengthy all-caps screeds offering vacillating updates on the war.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
This hesitation was not the result of vacillating between options in indecision, but an active and regulated brain process to pause before acting due to environmental uncertainty.
—Eric Yttri, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Following years defined by supply chain issues, tariffs and vacillating interest for electric vehicles, carmakers are now also dealing with the traditional problems of affordability and cooling consumer demand.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Jan. 2026
Virginia Ritter spent most of her of the rest of her life vacillating between empathy and anger for her daughter's killer, all the while serving as a fierce victims' rights advocate in Nashville.
—Brad Schmitt, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Nov. 2025
By the end of March 2018 Aydın seemed unsure whether to try to clear his name or lay low, vacillating between the two strategies.
—Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
The actress' create a world that engulfs you into their faux-showbusiness drama, a world of women vacillating between supporting each other and backstabbing to get themselves ahead, with striking performances that led to Oscar nominations for Davis, Ritter, Holm and Baxter.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillating
Adjective
-
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,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That puts them at the forefront of an asset class that is looking uncertain, although their overall exposure is still relatively small compared to their vast holdings.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Law enforcement officers are often forced to make split-second decisions in uncertain circumstances.—
Jim Cook,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dubai, in particular, finds its position as the crown jewel of Middle East’s tourism faltering as its airports have been forced to shut temporarily during the conflict.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Mamdani's approval rating A Marist Poll published Wednesday revealed 48% of NYC residents think Mayor Mamdani is doing a good job so far, 30% disapprove of his performance, while 23% are unsure how to rate him.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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In Mexico the loss of territory discredited the country’s conservative government and left many of its citizens unsure of their country’s future as an independent state.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Despite the outsized headline figure, there were further indications that the job market remains wobbly.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
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Also helping out on Wednesday were Paul Goldschmidt, who clubbed a three-run homer off George Kirby in the sixth inning, and Ben Rice, who smoked a solo shot in the ninth after and before some wobbly work from Yankees relievers Camilo Doval and David Bednar.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fellow bigs Magoon Gwath and Pharaoh Compton, undecided through the weekend, followed him a few hours later.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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With so many undecided voters, Pratt sees an opening.—
Tom Wait,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This ambivalent speech is contrasted with the severe consequences of AI when Steyerl interviews an Iraqi journalist who was the subject of a drone attack, along with two colleagues who did not survive.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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But nutritionists have been ambivalent about the dangers of eating eggs.—
Jeffrey Steingarten,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacillating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillating. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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