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
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 vacillation
President Trump’s vacillation— seeming a lot like appeasement— encourages Putin’s intransigence.
—
U.s. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Your corrupt presidency of graft, vengeance and ceaseless vacillation between loudly complaining and loudly boasting has become like a jackhammer outside our collective window every day since your inauguration.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Reading Cuba in War Time, we’re reminded that war reporting was never free of this struggle and vacillation.
—Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
Blyth stands out largely because his character harbors the most internal conflict, but his vacillation between bullying patronization and pitiable wreck generates tonal whiplash all the same.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacillation
U.s. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Your corrupt presidency of graft, vengeance and ceaseless vacillation between loudly complaining and loudly boasting has become like a jackhammer outside our collective window every day since your inauguration.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Reading Cuba in War Time, we’re reminded that war reporting was never free of this struggle and vacillation.
—Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
Blyth stands out largely because his character harbors the most internal conflict, but his vacillation between bullying patronization and pitiable wreck generates tonal whiplash all the same.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vacillation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacillation
Noun
-
There can be apathy and hesitation.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
For example, during his dominant, 18-point first quarter in the Spurs’ Game 5 win over the Timberwolves, on one play Wembanyama hit a combo of hesitation dribbles into a crossover into a spinning layup over Rudy Gobert.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The decline in vitamin K uptake is still believed to be related to vaccine and medicine hesitancy, according to both the JAMA study and ProPublica investigation.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
This hesitancy and worry about speaking up is the way free speech dies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
After a pause for the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, social hesitance was still evident and masks were incorporated into some of the night's designs.—
Luis Giraldo,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
-
Sensing hesitance as well as incompetence, coaches and players alike tried to sway the flailing fill-ins at every turn.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Chapman ended up getting turned around and tagged out, but his pause allowed Devers to score.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
9 May 2026
-
Bass, after a brief pause, also said yes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacillation. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
