Synonyms of wavering

wavering 1 of 3

noun

as in hesitation

a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action

after a moment's wavering, she accepted his proposal

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitation
• hesitancy
• hesitance
• pause
• indecision
• delay
• vacillation
• faltering
• wobbling
• irresolution
• uncertainty
• fence-sitting
• deliberation
• waiting
• shilly-shallying
• doubt
• shilly-shally
• indecisiveness
• reluctance
• hawing
• incertitude
• procrastination
• debate
• consideration
• second thought
• indetermination
• unwillingness
• timidity
• misgiving
• avoidance
• arrière-pensée
• indisposition
• faintheartedness
• equivocation
• uncertainness
• disinclination
• aversion
• timidness
• shyness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• determination
• resolution
• confidence
• certainty
• firmness
• certitude
• readiness
• decisiveness
• sureness
• resoluteness
• eagerness
• alacrity

wavering

2 of 3

adjective

as in uncertain

Related Words

• uncertain
• irresolute
• unsure
• ambivalent
• faltering
• wobbly
• questioning
• conflicted
• indecisive
• vacillating
• undecided
• skeptical
• infirm
• halting
• doubtful
• insecure
• diffident
• unenthusiastic
• reluctant
• hesitant
• loath
• uneager
• disinclined
• reticent
• cagey
• indisposed
• dubious

Dissimilar Words

• resolute
• decided
• decisive
• unquestioning
• determined
• confident
• certain
• positive
• sanguine
• sure
• assured
• convinced
• willing
• ready
• self-assured
• inclined
• disposed

wavering

3 of 3

verb

present participle of waver

1

as in hesitating

to show uncertainty about the right course of action

he's still wavering about whether to take the job

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitating
• faltering
• vacillating
• dithering
• debating
• waiting
• halting
• balancing
• teetering
• wobbling
• hanging back
• staggering
• swaying
• pausing
• lingering
• scrupling
• shilly-shallying
• delaying
• pondering
• hawing
• procrastinating
• weighing
• hemming
• deliberating
• dawdling
• waffling
• oscillating
• backing down
• equivocating
• dallying
• considering
• chickening (out)
• hedging
• pussyfooting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deciding
• plunging (in)
• continuing
• stirring
• diving (in)
• advancing
• budging

2

as in faltering

to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side

the steel tower wavered for a moment before falling over

Synonyms & Similar Words

• faltering
• trembling
• wobbling
• shaking
• rocking
• shuddering
• tottering
• lurching
• vibrating
• quivering
• teetering
• floundering
• quaking
• stumbling
• quavering
• reeling
• toddling
• staggering
• weaving
• careening

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of wavering

Noun

My apologies to the couple for wavering and siding with those pushy moms. — Abigail Van Buren, Mercury News, 31 Aug. 2026

With the traditional clinic system in place, illicit drug dealers could still capitalize on knowing precisely where their target clientele — the vulnerable, the wavering — would gather. — Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026

Off in the distance, the church bell tolled one wavering note, was silent, tolled another. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2026

After his years of national wavering, Volpato’s entrance officially tied him, for the rest of his life, to Australia. — Naaman Zhou, New Yorker, 1 July 2026

And with Trump remaining popular in the state — despite some nationwide wavering over issues including the economy — proximity to the president has been a campaign feature for all of the Republicans vying for the state's top office. — ABC News, 23 June 2026

Throughout it all, Senate Democrats stood united — no wavering, no backing down. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 27 Mar. 2026

There would be no wavering of any kind on my part this time. — Patrick Albanese As Told To Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 22 Mar. 2026

In this atmosphere, as ProPublica has reported, there’s been widespread wavering on water fluoridation, even in Michigan, where the treatment debuted more than 80 years ago. — Anna Clark, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 2026

Adjective

Sony has also shown a wavering commitment to its digital stores. — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026

The same engine that nudges one shopper up can hand another a discount to close a wavering sale. — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 10 June 2026

He was encouraged by his timing and sensed Miller might be wavering, especially after an errant pickoff throw put the go-ahead run 90 feet away. — Katie Woo, New York Times, 20 May 2026

One night, Altman took an Ambien, only to be awakened by his husband, an Australian coder named Oliver Mulherin, who told him that Sutskever was wavering, and that people were telling Altman to speak with the board. — Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

Music is the focal point of each service, with Jeffrey playing guitar and keyboards behind the curtain, singing in a wavering voice reminiscent of Jeff Mangum about the subjects, ideas and feelings that have occupied his mind at various stages of his life. — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026

But by the time the Trojans had gotten into the pressures of February, the optimism was wavering. — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 3 Mar. 2026

Rarely wavering and never giving up. — David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026

In his new role, Jejurikar will be tasked with driving sales performance amid a wavering global market. — Vogue Business Team, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2025

Verb

But Brent resumed climbing as conflict persisted, topping $100 per barrel again in July before wavering and then hitting that mark again late Tuesday. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026

Emerging markets such as India, which entered the top 20 markets two years ago and now ranks 15th for Swiss watch exports by size, and Mexico are also contributing to a lessening of the dependency on wavering top markets, in particular China. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026

Allies left vulnerable Elsewhere, American allies are reeling from the realization that the United States’ unambiguous commitment to protecting them might be wavering. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Aug. 2026

Usually hidden by the glare of our star, the ethereal corona and its pale, wavering streams of plasma are shaped by the sun’s magnetic field. — Claire Cameron & Lee Billings, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026

But its machines need replacing, and the Federal Reserve is wavering on spending the money. — Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 24 July 2026

Wall Street’s support for Netflix is wavering after the streaming platform’s latest results on Thursday failed to ease concerns over slowing growth, with a number of analysts slashing price targets for the stock. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 17 July 2026

But fans are wavering with Eli Raridon off to the NFL, even with Cooper Flanagan returning and five-star freshman Ian Premer enrolling. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 26 June 2026

There wasn't any attention wavering out there. — Brenton Blanchet, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026