vacillate
verb (used without object)
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
vacillated
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past participleof vacillate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof vacillate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
vacillateverb (used without object)to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
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.
In the 2000s, the company vacillated between a fashion-forward and a basics-focused approach—neither of which helped sales much.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
Instead, I vacillated between forgetting all about cancer some days and feeling like death was imminent others, and it was hard to predict what would prompt either extreme.
From Slate ● May 6, 2026
“He was begging to be able to do something on the offensive side,” Skipper said of the redshirt junior, who has vacillated between the offensive and defensive lines during his seven seasons with the team.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2025
His children, Kelly and Jack, vacillated between showering him with affection and berating him for not catering to their whims.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2025
My love for him vacillated from one entry to another.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
