vacillate

American

[vas-uh-leyt] / ˈvæs əˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

vacillated, vacillating

to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.

His tendency to vacillate makes him a poor leader.

Synonyms:

hesitate
to sway unsteadily; waver; totter; stagger.

Synonyms:

reel
to oscillate or fluctuate.

vacillate British

/ ˈvæsɪˌleɪt /

verb

to fluctuate in one's opinions; be indecisive
to sway from side to side physically; totter or waver

"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

Related Words

See waver ¹.

Other Word Forms

vacillation noun
vacillator noun

Etymology

Origin of vacillate

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin vacillātus (past participle of vacillāre “to sway to and fro”); -ate ¹

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.

Washington has vacillated between pressing Europe to hit China with tariffs to cutting its own deals with Beijing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Its leader, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has warm relations with Mr. Putin, has vacillated on when the Hungarian Parliament will vote.

From New York Times

Thomas has been on unemployment, with weekly payments that have vacillated between $600 and zero.

From Washington Post

His condition continues to “vacillate,” the manager said.

From Los Angeles Times

But analysts believe the commitment vacillated and stores never made this customer base feel part of the shopping experience, often leaving them out of marketing materials.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023