wavering

[wey-ver-ing]

adjective

1. fluttering, swaying to and fro, tottering, or reeling.

   To make things more bearable, he imagined she was close by—just beyond that wavering curtain.

   The two stumbling cousins came to a wavering halt, leaning on each other.

2. flickering or quivering, as light.

   In the wavering light of the torch, the old warrior's face showed fond concern.

3. becoming unsteady; beginning to fail or give way.

   It wasn’t just the physical pain I suffered, it was the loss of self, the wavering sense of identity.

4. shaking or trembling, as the hands or voice.

   "Our thoughts are with our colleague’s family, friends, and loved ones," said the anchorman with a wavering voice.

5. feeling or showing doubt, indecision, etc.; vacillating.

   The disciplined mind is strong and effective, while the constantly wavering mind is weak and ineffective.

6. fluctuating or varying.

   The participants braved the wavering March weather for an engaging and action-packed day.

noun

1. the act or condition of becoming unsteady, vacillating, faltering, or fluctuating.

   Any wavering of attention is very likely to result in an error.

2. the act or condition of flickering, swaying, tottering, or fluttering.

   There was a wavering in the cracked screen.

3. the act or condition of shaking or trembling, as the hands or voice.

   Her fear began to manifest itself in a minute trembling of her hand and a slight wavering of her voice.

Other Word Forms

• waveringly adverb
• nonwavering adjective
• unwavering adjective
• unwaveringly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wavering¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; waver ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; waver ¹ ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

If the Fed shows any signs of wavering on rate cuts, expect that to become a stampede.

Read more on Barron's

Ten years after the landmark Paris Agreement, major polluters are wavering on action while the world fast approaches the deal's safer warming limit.

Read more on Barron's

It’s the perfect setting, in other words, for a novel by Mr. Banville, who is a master of shadow and suggestion and whose protagonists are often elusive, wavering and easily corrupted.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

None of them have shown signs of wavering.

Read more on Salon

“And when the confidence is wavering, the execution is off,” Friedman said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• undecided