wavering

American

[wey-ver-ing] / ˈweɪ vər ɪŋ /

adjective

fluttering, swaying to and fro, tottering, or reeling.

To make things more bearable, he imagined she was close by—just beyond that wavering curtain.
The two stumbling cousins came to a wavering halt, leaning on each other.
flickering or quivering, as light.

In the wavering light of the torch, the old warrior's face showed fond concern.
becoming unsteady; beginning to fail or give way.

It wasn’t just the physical pain I suffered, it was the loss of self, the wavering sense of identity.
shaking or trembling, as the hands or voice.

"Our thoughts are with our colleague’s family, friends, and loved ones," said the anchorman with a wavering voice.
feeling or showing doubt, indecision, etc.; vacillating.

The disciplined mind is strong and effective, while the constantly wavering mind is weak and ineffective.
fluctuating or varying.

The participants braved the wavering March weather for an engaging and action-packed day.

noun

the act or condition of becoming unsteady, vacillating, faltering, or fluctuating.

Any wavering of attention is very likely to result in an error.
the act or condition of flickering, swaying, tottering, or fluttering.

There was a wavering in the cracked screen.
the act or condition of shaking or trembling, as the hands or voice.

Her fear began to manifest itself in a minute trembling of her hand and a slight wavering of her voice.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

waverings

plural

Etymology

Origin of wavering

First recorded in 1350–1400; waver ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; waver ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

wavering waverings

Luke Tryl, who heads the More in Common research non-profit, told AFP Farage's core supporters "seem largely undeterred" but that newer Reform converts "might now be wavering".

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026

And in this strict social classification - known as songbun – the jjaepo belong to the "wavering class", somewhere between the core and hostile classes.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

After wavering in early trading, major U.S. stock indexes were mixed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 27, 2026

“As we’ve seen over the last couple of years, there’s been wavering confidence that demand will persist in the long run, causing the market to selloff.”

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 30, 2026

He looked back and fancied that he could see the lights of Wall behind him, wavering and glimmering as if in a heat-haze, but still inviting.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Green waverings play on the high gray stone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2013

Unruffled by blasts from Buenos Aires' Luna Park and the University of Chicago's Midway, unshaken by waverings and defections in the ranks of his own followers.

From Time Magazine Archive

If there were any waverings within the military leadership after the U.S. decision, they failed to show.

From Time Magazine Archive

The Lincoln Tunnel reminds him of an extended lavatory wall; there is fascination in the waverings of tin cans, tires and old shoes under a few inches of water.

From Time Magazine Archive

Had it been allowable entertainment, had there been no pain to her friend, or reproach to herself, in the waverings of Harriet’s mind, Emma would have been amused by its variations.

From "Emma" by Jane Austen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023