handwringing
Americannoun
-
a physical expression of concern, distress, or guilt.
-
the nervous grasping or squeezing of the hands as a sign of these feelings.
Other Word Forms
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.
But speaking of visibility—even though so much of the handwringing around fertility rates has been about how women’s lives have changed in the past few decades, there’s a more obvious target.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026
"He didn't let US government clucking and handwringing stop him," says Robert Carlin.
From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2025
In some quarters, the pace of change and the dangers of runaway AI, as seen in dystopian movies, have produced intense handwringing.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 27, 2023
The sudden underperformance by Europe’s largest economy has set off a wave of criticism, handwringing and debate about the way forward.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 18, 2023
The incident has drawn a lot of handwringing in Hollywood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2022
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
