vacillate
[ vas-uh-leyt ]
/ ˈvæs əˌleɪt /
Save This Word!
verb (used without object), vac·il·lat·ed, vac·il·lat·ing.
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute: His tendency to vacillate makes him a poor leader.
to sway unsteadily; waver; totter; stagger.
to oscillate or fluctuate.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Meet Grammar Coach
Improve Your Writing
Origin of vacillate
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin vacillātus (past participle of vacillāre “to sway to and fro”); see -ate1
synonym study for vacillate
1. See waver1.
OTHER WORDS FROM vacillate
vac·il·la·tor, nounWords nearby vacillate
vaccinization, vaccinology, Vachel, Vacherin, vacillant, vacillate, vacillating, vacillation, vacillatory, VACTERL syndrome, vacua
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for vacillate
British Dictionary definitions for vacillate
vacillate
/ (ˈvæsɪˌleɪt) /
verb (intr)
to fluctuate in one's opinions; be indecisive
to sway from side to side physically; totter or waver
Derived forms of vacillate
vacillation, nounvacillator, nounWord Origin for vacillate
C16: from Latin vacillāre to sway, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012