as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
the president was soundly criticized for his vacillation before responding to the crisis
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Recent Examples of vacillation
Contrasting success stories with the vacillations of the current administration will project Trump as a global colossus.
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Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2024
This administration’s vacillation in trying to dictate Israeli military options, including withholding weapons, only prolongs it.
—Chris Eddy, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2024
Espinosa’s Billy Jay is also a huge asset: His vacillation between cornfed, charming-despite-yourself naïveté and furtive, ambitious, even possibly sinister unknowability is—perhaps a little ironically—the play’s most compelling character arc.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 8 May 2024
Indian vacillation will convince U.S. officials that despite their best efforts, New Delhi is either incapable of mustering the requisite political will to build a long-term security partnership with Washington or reluctant to do so.
—Sumit Ganguly, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for vacillation 
Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2024
This administration’s vacillation in trying to dictate Israeli military options, including withholding weapons, only prolongs it.
—Chris Eddy, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2024
Espinosa’s Billy Jay is also a huge asset: His vacillation between cornfed, charming-despite-yourself naïveté and furtive, ambitious, even possibly sinister unknowability is—perhaps a little ironically—the play’s most compelling character arc.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 8 May 2024
Indian vacillation will convince U.S. officials that despite their best efforts, New Delhi is either incapable of mustering the requisite political will to build a long-term security partnership with Washington or reluctant to do so.
—Sumit Ganguly, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023
See all Example Sentences for vacillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillation
Noun
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For example, a financial services organization rolling out a new product and working to generate sales using only CRM data might overlook early signs of buyer hesitation.Eilon Reshef, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
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The common signs of vision loss include bumping into objects, difficulty finding food or toys, hesitation with jumping, anxiety, clinginess, or even aggression due to vulnerability.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The actor also supported Chalamet’s hesitancy to disclose details about the transformation.Julie Jordan, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
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Even following such an uplifting and dominant win, Newcastle’s baffling, up-and-down campaign demands such hesitancy.Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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As Gaetz's controversies dominated the news cycle and senators on both sides of the aisle expressed hesitance about confirming his nomination, murmurs arose that the Ethics Committee was thinking about finally releasing its report on the lawmaker given the strong public interest.Virginia Chamlee, People.com, 23 Dec. 2024
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There was a certain reticence and hesitance from Utah’s shooters.Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Billionaires Bill Ackman and Len Blavatnik joined in on the call for her resignation, with Blavatnik putting a pause on his donations to the school.Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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Midweek Breaks: Holidays like New Year's Day, Juneteenth, and Veterans Day offer midweek pauses, which can be used for shorter getaways or personal downtime.David Faris, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near vacillation
Cite this Entry
“Vacillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillation. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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