vacillate
[ vas-uh-leyt ]
/ ˈvæs əˌleɪt /
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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 “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
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
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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
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