vacillate

verb

vac·​il·​late ˈva-sə-ˌlāt 

vacillated; vacillating

intransitive verb

1

: to waver in mind, will, or feeling : hesitate in choice of opinions or courses

2

a

: to sway through lack of equilibrium

b

: fluctuate, oscillate

vacillatingly

ˈva-sə-ˌlā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

vacillator

ˈva-sə-ˌlā-tər 

noun

Synonyms

• balance
• dither
• falter
• halt
• hang back
• hesitate
• scruple
• shilly-shally
• stagger
• teeter
• waver
• wobble
• wabble

Choose the Right Synonym for vacillate

hesitate, waver, vacillate, falter mean to show irresolution or uncertainty.

hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

Examples of vacillate in a Sentence

She has vacillated on this issue.

vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision

Recent Examples on the Web

By this measurement, Milton would have remained a Category 5 until mid-Wednesday rather than vacillating between 4 and 5. —Alec Luhn, WIRED, 9 Oct. 2024

Their subterranean seaside stone bunker is awesome, as is the film’s score, which vacillates between free jazz, drone, and psych guitar. —Katie Rife, Vulture, 21 June 2024

With tension around the upcoming presidential election thick in the air, most of us are vacillating somewhere between slightly uneasy and borderline insane. —Alyssa Shelasky, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2024

The Indian National Congress, the BJP’s primary adversary and traditionally the more socially progressive party at the national level, is one of several key players to have vacillated over the issue. —Deepa Das Acevedo, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2019

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin vacillātus, past participle of vacillāre "to be unsteady, totter, be weak or inconstant, waver," of uncertain origin

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Kids Definition

vacillate

verb

vac·​il·​late ˈvas-ə-ˌlāt 

vacillated; vacillating

: to hesitate between courses or opinions : be unable to choose

vacillation

ˌvas-ə-ˈlā-shən

noun

vacillator

ˈvas-ə-ˌlāt-ər 

noun