fence-sitter

[fens-sit-er]

noun

1. a person who remains neutral or undecided in a controversy.

Other Word Forms

• fence-sitting noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fence-sitter¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

“One of the biggest problems that we are facing today is the fence-sitter problem,” Samantha Power, the head of the U.S.

From New York Times

These are hallmarks of a fence-sitter, of a flipper and flopper in changing winds.

From US News

Right the way through to the fence-sitter of an ending, the movie looks like it was written by committee at a screenwriters' seminar.

From The Guardian

Wittman, who played college basketball at Indiana, was not exactly a fence-sitter about the changes to that school's Big Ten Conference.

From Seattle Times

Is he a liberal, a conservative or a fence-sitter?

From New York Times