WAVERINGLY Synonyms: 223 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'waver' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of waver are falter , hesitate , and vacillate . While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat. // wavered in his support of the rebels

Q: Where would 'falter' be a reasonable alternative to 'waver'?

While the synonyms falter and waver are close in meaning, falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear. // never once faltered during her testimony

Q: When could 'hesitate' be used to replace 'waver'?

The words hesitate and waver are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing. // hesitated before answering the question

Q: When would 'vacillate' be a good substitute for 'waver'?

The synonyms vacillate and waver are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision. // vacillated until events were out of control

waver 1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈwā-vər

Definition of waver

as in to hesitate

to show uncertainty about the right course of action he's still wavering about whether to take the job

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to falter

to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the steel tower wavered for a moment before falling over

Synonyms & Similar Words

waver

2 of 5

noun (1)

as in sway

Related Words

wavering

3 of 5

noun (2)

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wavering

4 of 5

adjective

as in uncertain

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

wavering

5 of 5

verb (2)

present participle of waver

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb waver differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of waver are falter, hesitate, and vacillate. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

Where would falter be a reasonable alternative to waver?

While the synonyms falter and waver are close in meaning, falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

When could hesitate be used to replace waver?

The words hesitate and waver are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

When would vacillate be a good substitute for waver?

The synonyms vacillate and waver are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

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 waver

Verb

Steve Tew, district attorney for Ouachita and Morehouse parishes, has never wavered in his insistence that Duncan was guilty of murder and that he should be put to death. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 29 June 2026 His belief, however, never wavered throughout those eight appearances without a goal. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 26 June 2026

Noun

Ocando advises looking for a waver with adjustable temperature settings, ceramic or ionic barrels, and a grip on the top of the tool, which gives you better control while styling. — Lily Wohlner, Allure, 18 Mar. 2026 When those practitioners are taken away from patients, our pluck and determination waver. — Mindy Uhrlaub, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026

Noun

The straight march of the High Street turned wavering and sly. — Literary Hub, 26 Feb. 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

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

Verb

Markets also have been wavering from spates of heavy selling of stocks in companies linked to the boom in artificial intelligence. — ABC News, 10 June 2026 There was nothing wavering for them. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for waver

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waver

Verb

And women who suspect their period pain is more severe than normal should not hesitate to speak with a health care provider, especially if symptoms are affecting their quality of life.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 July 2026
In the second half, Freese stepped off his line to control a ball, hesitated, stubbed his foot against the ground, and lost the ball.

— Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 7 July 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

Current training methods, such as reinforcement learning, can produce robots that are very good at consistently performing a specific task under very specific conditions—but such robots may falter on the same task under different conditions.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026
Without this common utility, even the most complex of war machines will falter.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026

Definition of falter

Noun

In interviews, criminologists and violence researchers told me all three crimes raised credible concerns about Mangione’s sway on other suspects.

— Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 7 July 2026
Although Chicago had its issues with redlining and massive disinvestment that left generational scars on some primarily Black neighborhoods, the small town ethos held little sway over me.

— Dawn M. Turner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of sway

Noun

And each time another first-time climber reaches the top, the applause rising from the rocks below suggests that, little by little, that community is growing.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
That roundup includes the Billboard Hot 100, as well as lists that are focused on pop, rock, alternative and dance music.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of rock

Verb

The iconic bunny costume moment, when Elle is tricked into showing up to a non-costume party wearing a Playboy bunny get-up, was the catalyst for exploring how Elle was able to shake that humiliation off.

— Scarlett Harris, IndieWire, 6 July 2026
This tournament has built credibility by showcasing teams competing at a high level, then shaking hands afterward.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of shake

Noun

The first wave of Social Security payments for July is scheduled to be distributed this week.

— Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 6 July 2026
SoCal’s housing market growth SpaceX’s record-shattering IPO has unleashed a wave of high-end home shoppers poised to reshape Southern California’s already tight coastal housing markets.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of wave

Verb

The longer uncertainty lingers, the more risk there is for stocks at a moment when the market leaders, chipmakers, are wobbling.

— John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Instead of rising together whenever markets wobble, Treasurys, gold and the yen are increasingly responding to their own macro fundamentals.

— Lim Hui Jie,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 July 2026

Definition of wobble

Browse Nearby Words

wavelets

waver

wavered

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“Waver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waver. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of waver

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