vacillate
[ vas-uh-leyt ]
/ ˈvæs əˌleɪt /
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.
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Origin of vacillate
OTHER WORDS FROM vacillate
vac·il·la·tor, nounWords nearby vacillate
vaccinization, vaccinology, vachel, vacherin, vacillant, vacillate, vacillating, vacillation, vacillatory, vacterl syndrome, vacua
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
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
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