wavering 1 of 3

noun

Definition of waveringnext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wavering

2 of 3

adjective

as in irresolute

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wavering
  1. hesitation
  2. irresolute
  3. hesitancy
  4. unsure
  5. hesitance
  6. uncertain
  7. pause
  8. ambivalent
Noun
  • While the women are coming in oozing with persona and charisma, there is still a sense of hesitation in trying to mark their territory.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
  • In new partnerships, there’s often a sense of hesitation as both sides gauge each other’s commitment.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of hesitation
Adjective
  • The prevailing sense among investors and market handicappers entering the month was to expect choppy, irresolute action full of potential scares.
    Michael Santoli, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2024
  • Showing signs of being irresolute can signal weakness that adversaries take note of.
    Michael Poznansky, Foreign Affairs, 5 Jan. 2024
Definition of irresolute
Noun
  • The event signals a substantial nod of confidence in Harris from a critical part of the LGBTQ+ community that has historically eyed her with hesitancy.
    Condé Nast, Them, 15 Aug. 2024
  • Many attribute their hesitancy to the perception that physicians are unwilling or unable to help.
    Henry Bair, STAT, 31 July 2024
Definition of hesitancy
Adjective
  • The Nuggets were unsure when Jokic would re-join the team as of Friday evening before the opening tip.
    Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
  • This fear and trauma have left her feeling isolated and unsure of how to seek help.
    Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Definition of unsure
Noun
  • Hollywood’s hesitance to fully embrace non-English programming remains a barrier, but that seems to have fallen this year.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 16 Sep. 2024
  • The Ransomware Surge and the Cost of Inaction Ransomware also remains a lucrative and low-risk endeavor for cybercriminals, fueled by organizations’ hesitance to disrupt their operations with preventive measures.
    Craig Burland, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
Definition of hesitance
Adjective
  • Our data is optimistic, but the politics is uncertain.
    James Morton Turner, Discover Magazine, 9 Nov. 2024
  • Even with a Republican Congress, some of this could prove difficult — and the potential fallout is uncertain at best.
    Carl Leubsdorf, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Definition of uncertain
Noun
  • Ahmed said that as long as the platforms’ approach to false and misleading content remain the same, a temporary pause on political ads during election week is likely to have little impact.
    Clare Duffy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The latest: In response to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests orchestrated by Coinbase related to the pause letters, the FDIC responded with the descriptions of 23 different communications entered into evidence last week in a case over the records.
    Brady Dale, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of pause
Adjective
  • Kate is ambivalent about striving after a level of power, which is possibly the most preposterous detail in a series that isn't overly concerned with authenticity.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
  • For any society, regarding any proposition, the population will spread out on a spectrum: 20 percent will strongly disagree, 70 percent will be more ambivalent, and 10 percent will be in total agreement.
    Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
Definition of ambivalent
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near wavering

wavered

wavering

wavers

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Wavering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wavering. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on wavering

Nglish: Translation of wavering for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of wavering for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Giving Thanks Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...