as in worry
disapproving
worried talk or behavior
There has been a lot of silly hand-wringing over the latest hike in interest rates.
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Recent Examples of hand-wringing
They’re all designed to grab your attention by sounding the alarm, then close with a hand-wringing quote from someone who probably missed the last bull run.
—
Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
There were more defections, more hand-wringing calculations.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
But the weekend gathering wasn’t all hand-wringing and liquid refreshment.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Despite one spectacular, pulse-pounding aerial sequence that will take your breath away near the finale, and a brilliant, hand-wringing scene underwater in a sunken submarine, the eighth and perhaps final entry in a franchise that has provided a bounty of escapist thrills is a shrug of a movie.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 May 2025
Huang’s unapologetic stance on AI is bracing in its way, especially in contrast with the public hand-wringing of many AI chieftains, fretting about the dangers of their LLMs while continuing to develop them.
—James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
The latest round of hand-wringing on AI was set off last week when Alibaba’s co-founder said the rush to erect new facilities is getting ahead of demand for AI services.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
Ironically, the film is tracking rather nicely for a March release despite all the hand-wringing and hubbub, with Snow White likely debuting at $50 million to $56 million domestically, according to a leading tracking service.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
There's obviously been a lot of hand-wringing over how Democrats treated the State of the Union address.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2025
Frank Holmes, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
There were more defections, more hand-wringing calculations.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
But the weekend gathering wasn’t all hand-wringing and liquid refreshment.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
Despite one spectacular, pulse-pounding aerial sequence that will take your breath away near the finale, and a brilliant, hand-wringing scene underwater in a sunken submarine, the eighth and perhaps final entry in a franchise that has provided a bounty of escapist thrills is a shrug of a movie.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 19 May 2025
Huang’s unapologetic stance on AI is bracing in its way, especially in contrast with the public hand-wringing of many AI chieftains, fretting about the dangers of their LLMs while continuing to develop them.
—James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
The latest round of hand-wringing on AI was set off last week when Alibaba’s co-founder said the rush to erect new facilities is getting ahead of demand for AI services.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
Ironically, the film is tracking rather nicely for a March release despite all the hand-wringing and hubbub, with Snow White likely debuting at $50 million to $56 million domestically, according to a leading tracking service.
—James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
There's obviously been a lot of hand-wringing over how Democrats treated the State of the Union address.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hand-wringing
Noun
-
Yet by then, parents may have a bigger worry, nutrition advocates warn.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Follow these five steps to log off without the worry.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Borowsky fiercely opposed the expansion, citing concerns over the aesthetics of a parking garage in Old Town and how its construction would disrupt and potentially permanently displace the Old Town Farmers Market.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Should churches endorse politicians? Erickson's concerns with Barker's endorsement go beyond legal reasons.—
Sophie Carson,
jsonline.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But there are other factors, including rising consumer anxiety and consumer debt, that remain headwinds to the market heading into the fall, Sturtevant said.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Aug. 2025
-
The civil complaint compares TikTok to slot machines and alleges that the app may lead to anxiety and depression, developmental damage and financial exploitation among children.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Dan Kois at Slate pointed out in 2010 that some of the age panic around Cauldron may have been overstated.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Chanel, a striking white, fluffy cat, hadn't even been let out of her carrier yet—but her mere presence was enough to spark panic.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The play fictionalizes the characters somewhat but adds a heavily involved editor character and creates the same sense of personal anguish and argumentativeness live.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
20 Aug. 2025
-
The pathway to extremism moves from that sense of anguish to something much larger.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Shifting toward the ideals of a 2.0 World, Crone hopes that the human default state of limitation, fear, and suffering will become oriented toward freedom, love, and boundless possibility.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Washington said the federal takeover in Washington has sparked fear, particularly among people who plan to visit the District next month for the Congressional Black Caucus’ annual conference.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
With job growth slowing and inflation rising, Powell acknowledged the tension between its two mandates.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
-
And, unfortunately, these exchanges often become far more heated than necessary when met with defensiveness or tension.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
What started out of desperation quickly became a calling to build something lasting.—
Jenn Rice,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
Vekić, hampered by an arm injury, was serving as poorly as Gauff, which only heightened the air of desperation in Arthur Ashe Stadium.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
31 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hand-wringing. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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