waver

¹

[ wey-ver ]

verb (used without object)

1. to sway to and fro; flutter:

   Foliage wavers in the breeze.

2. to flicker or quiver, as light:

   A distant beam wavered and then disappeared.

3. become unsteady; begin to fail or give way:

   When she heard the news her courage wavered.

4. to shake or tremble, as the hands or voice:

   Her voice wavered.

   Synonyms: quiver

5. to feel or show doubt, indecision, etc.; vacillate:

   He wavered in his determination.

6. (of things) to fluctuate or vary:

   Prices wavered.

7. to totter or reel:

   The earth quaked and the tower wavered.

noun

1. an act of wavering, fluttering, or vacillating.

waver

²

[ wey-ver ]

noun

1. a person who waves or causes something to wave:

   Election time brings out the wavers of flags and haranguers of mobs.

2. a person who specializes in waving hair.
3. something, as a curling iron, used for waving hair.

waver

/ ˈweɪvə /

verb

1. to be irresolute; hesitate between two possibilities
2. to become unsteady
3. to fluctuate or vary
4. to move back and forth or one way and another
5. (of light) to flicker or flash

noun

1. the act or an instance of wavering

Derived Forms

• ˈwavering, adjective
• ˈwaveringly, adverb
• ˈwaverer, noun

Other Words From

• wa·ver·er noun
• un·wa·vered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of waver¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English waveren, waferen “to totter, swing”; cognate with Middle High German wabern “to waver,” dialectal German wabern “to move about,” Old Norse vafra “to hover about, roam”; wave, -er ⁶

Origin of waver²

First recorded in 1550–60; wave + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of waver¹

C14: from Old Norse vafra to flicker; related to German wabern to move about

Synonym Study

Waver, fluctuate, vacillate refer to an alternation or hesitation between one direction and another. Waver means to hesitate between choices: to waver between two courses of action. Fluctuate suggests irregular change from one side to the other or up and down: The prices of stocks fluctuate when there is bad news followed by good. Vacillate is to make up one's mind and change it again suddenly; to be undecided as to what to do: We must not vacillate but must set a day.

Example Sentences

After working as a scouting intern with the Baltimore Ravens last year, Jefferson signed with the Chargers hoping to scratch an itch to play that never wavered.

From Los Angeles Times

Hegseth's mother publicly walked back her comments about her son and the Trump team has not given a public indication of wavering faith in Hegseth's nomination.

From Salon

Did you have any idea that he was wavering?

From Los Angeles Times

Leadbeater lingers on the government benches, near to one of the entrances to the 'aye' lobby, giving out final words of encouragement to wavering MPs.

From BBC

Those known to be wavering have been invited to panel discussions and events advocating either position.

From BBC

Related Words

• dither
• falter
• fluctuate
• hedge
• hesitate
• oscillate
• pause
• quiver
• seesaw
• shake
• sway
• teeter
• tremble
• vacillate
• vary
• waffle
• wobble