What is another word for vacillate?
1113 synonyms found
What does vacillate mean?
Pronunciation:
[ vˈasɪlˌe͡ɪt], [ vˈasɪlˌeɪt], [ v_ˈa_s_ɪ_l_ˌeɪ_t]
When we say someone is vacillating, we mean they are indecisive and uncertain about something. Some synonyms for vacillate include waver, fluctuate, hesitate, dither, and oscillate. They all suggest a lack of firmness and consistency in thought or action. Wavering suggests being unsteady, while fluctuating implies a continuous rise and fall. Hesitate implies pausing before taking action, while dither suggests being unsure and wasting time. Oscillate suggests a back-and-forth motion, like a pendulum. Regardless of which synonym is used, they all convey the idea of a person being unable to make up their mind or stick to a decision.
Related words: vacillate between, fluctuate, fluctuation, waver, oscillate, flip-flopping, tergiversate
Related questions:
Synonyms for Vacillate:
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n.
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•
- move on .
-
•
- repetition .
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v.
• alternate- acted reciprocally ,
- acting reciprocally ,
- acts reciprocally ,
- came and go ,
- came go ,
- come go ,
- comes and go ,
- comes go ,
- coming and go ,
- coming go ,
- ex change ,
- ex changed ,
- ex changes ,
- ex changing ,
- ex-change ,
- ex-changed ,
- ex-changes ,
- ex-changing ,
- fill for ,
- filled for ,
- filled in for ,
- filling for ,
- filling in for ,
- fills for ,
- fills in for ,
- follow turn ,
- followed in turn ,
- followed turn ,
- following in turn ,
- following turn ,
- follows in turn ,
- follows turn ,
- inter change ,
- inter changed ,
- inter changes ,
- inter changing ,
- inter-changed ,
- inter-changes ,
- inter-changing ,
- re lieve ,
- re-lieve ,
- yo yo ,
- yo yoed ,
- yo yoing ,
- yo yos ,
- yo-yoed ,
- yo-yoing ,
- yoyoed ,
- yoyoing ,
- yoyos .
- am on fence ,
- am on the fence ,
- am the fence ,
- are fence ,
- are on fence ,
- are on the fence ,
- are the fence ,
- art fence ,
- art the fence ,
- be fence ,
- be on fence ,
- be the fence ,
- being fence ,
- being on fence ,
- being on the fence ,
- being the fence ,
- blow hot cold ,
- chop change ,
- chopped and change ,
- chopped change ,
- chopping and change ,
- chopping change ,
- chops and change ,
- chops change ,
- is fence ,
- is on fence ,
- is on the fence ,
- is the fence ,
- was fence ,
- was on fence ,
- was on the fence ,
- was the fence ,
- wast fence ,
- wast on fence ,
- wast on the fence ,
- wast the fence ,
- were fence ,
- were on fence ,
- were on the fence ,
- were the fence ,
- wert fence ,
- wert on fence ,
- wert on the fence ,
- wert the fence ,
- will will not ,
- willed and will not ,
- willed will not ,
- willing and will not ,
- willing will not ,
- wilt and will not ,
- wilt will not ,
- wobbled about ,
- wobbles about ,
- wobbling about ,
- would and will not ,
- would will not ,
- wouldst and will not ,
- wouldst will not .
- adapt ,
- adjust ,
- alter ,
- convert ,
- deviate ,
- diversify ,
- modify ,
- modulate ,
- mutate ,
- reform ,
- set ,
- transform ,
- transit ,
- transpose ,
- vary .
- dis approve ,
- dis approved ,
- dis approves ,
- dis approving ,
- dis-approve ,
- dis-approved ,
- dis-approves ,
- dis-approving ,
- hem haw ,
- pro tested ,
- pro testing ,
- pro-tested ,
- pro-testing ,
- re fuse ,
- re fused ,
- re fuses ,
- re fusing ,
- re-fuse ,
- re-fused ,
- re-fuses ,
- takes exception ,
- took exception ,
- wait see .
- am undecided ,
- are undecided ,
- art undecided ,
- being undecided ,
- drop ball ,
- dropped ball ,
- dropping ball ,
- drops ball ,
- drops the ball ,
- dropt ball ,
- dropt the ball ,
- is undecided ,
- spake haltingly ,
- speaking haltingly ,
- speaks haltingly ,
- spoke haltingly ,
- stubbed toe ,
- stubbing toe ,
- stubs toe ,
- top pled ,
- top-pled ,
- tripping up ,
- trips up ,
- was undecided ,
- wast undecided ,
- were undecided ,
- wert undecided ,
- whiffles .
- am defective ,
- are defective ,
- art defective ,
- being defective ,
- is defective ,
- was defective ,
- wast defective ,
- were defective ,
- wert defective ,
- wiggle waggle ,
- wiggle waggled ,
- wiggle waggles ,
- wiggle waggling ,
- wiggle-waggled ,
- wiggle-waggles ,
- wiggle-waggling ,
- wigglewaggle ,
- wigglewaggled ,
- wigglewaggles ,
- wigglewaggling .
- am irresolute ,
- am reluctant ,
- am unwilling ,
- are irresolute ,
- are reluctant ,
- are unwilling ,
- art irresolute ,
- art reluctant ,
- art unwilling ,
- being irresolute ,
- being reluctant ,
- being unwilling ,
- de bate ,
- de bated ,
- de bates ,
- de bating ,
- de-bate ,
- de-bated ,
- de-bates ,
- de-bating ,
- holds off ,
- is irresolute ,
- is reluctant ,
- is unwilling ,
- sat fence ,
- sat on fence ,
- sate fence ,
- sate on fence ,
- shied away ,
- shies away ,
- shying away ,
- sit fence ,
- sits fence ,
- sits on fence ,
- sitting fence ,
- sitting on fence ,
- thinks twice ,
- thought twice ,
- was irresolute ,
- was reluctant ,
- was unwilling ,
- wast irresolute ,
- wast reluctant ,
- wast unwilling ,
- were irresolute ,
- were reluctant ,
- were unwilling ,
- wert irresolute ,
- wert reluctant ,
- wert unwilling .
- am dilatory ,
- am long ,
- am tardy ,
- are dilatory ,
- are long ,
- are tardy ,
- art dilatory ,
- art long ,
- art tardy ,
- being dilatory ,
- being long ,
- being tardy ,
- is dilatory ,
- is long ,
- is tardy ,
- re main ,
- re mained ,
- re maining ,
- re mains ,
- re-main ,
- re-mains ,
- sat around ,
- sate around ,
- sits around ,
- sitting around ,
- sticked around ,
- sticking around ,
- sticks around ,
- stuck around ,
- take one time ,
- take ones time ,
- takes one time ,
- takes one's time ,
- takes ones time ,
- takes time ,
- taking one time ,
- taking ones time ,
- taking time ,
- took one time ,
- took one's time ,
- took ones time ,
- took time ,
- waited around ,
- waiting around ,
- waits around ,
- was dilatory ,
- was long ,
- was tardy ,
- wast dilatory ,
- wast long ,
- wast tardy ,
- were dilatory ,
- were long ,
- were tardy ,
- wert dilatory ,
- wert long ,
- wert tardy .
- had doubts ,
- had one doubts ,
- had one's doubts ,
- had ones doubts ,
- haddest doubts ,
- haddest one doubts ,
- haddest one's doubts ,
- haddest ones doubts ,
- hadst doubts ,
- hadst one doubts ,
- hadst one's doubts ,
- hadst ones doubts ,
- has doubts ,
- has one doubts ,
- has one's doubts ,
- has ones doubts ,
- hast doubts ,
- hast one doubts ,
- hast one's doubts ,
- hast ones doubts ,
- hath doubts ,
- hath one doubts ,
- hath one's doubts ,
- hath ones doubts ,
- have one doubts ,
- have ones doubts ,
- having doubts ,
- having one doubts ,
- having one's doubts ,
- having ones doubts ,
- mis doubt ,
- mis doubted ,
- mis doubting ,
- mis doubts ,
- mis-doubt ,
- mis-doubted ,
- mis-doubting ,
- mis-doubts .
- Re-turn ,
- am equivalent ,
- are equivalent ,
- being equivalent ,
- feel return ,
- feeling in return ,
- feeling return ,
- feels in return ,
- feels return ,
- felt in return ,
- felt return ,
- is equivalent ,
- makes for ,
- makes up for ,
- paid dues ,
- paid one dues ,
- paid ones dues ,
- pay one dues ,
- pay ones dues ,
- payed dues ,
- payed one dues ,
- payed one's dues ,
- payed ones dues ,
- paying dues ,
- paying one dues ,
- paying one's dues ,
- paying ones dues ,
- pays dues ,
- pays one dues ,
- pays one's dues ,
- pays ones dues ,
- re paid ,
- re pay ,
- re paying ,
- re pays ,
- re plied ,
- re plying ,
- re quite ,
- re tort ,
- re torts ,
- re turn ,
- re turning ,
- re turns ,
- re-paid ,
- re-pay ,
- re-paying ,
- re-pays ,
- re-plied ,
- re-plying ,
- re-quite ,
- re-tort ,
- re-torts ,
- re-turned ,
- re-turning ,
- re-turns ,
- return compliment ,
- returned compliment ,
- returned the compliment ,
- returning compliment ,
- returning the compliment ,
- returns compliment ,
- returns the compliment ,
- scratch back ,
- scratch one back ,
- scratch ones back ,
- scratched back ,
- scratched one back ,
- scratched one's back ,
- scratched ones back ,
- scratches back ,
- scratches one back ,
- scratches one's back ,
- scratches ones back ,
- scratching back ,
- scratching one back ,
- scratching one's back ,
- scratching ones back ,
- serves out ,
- serving out ,
- tits for tat ,
- titted for tat ,
- titting for tat ,
- was equivalent ,
- wast equivalent ,
- were equivalent ,
- wert equivalent .
- am loath ,
- are loath ,
- art loath ,
- being loath ,
- is loath ,
- thinking twice about ,
- thinks twice about ,
- thought twice about ,
- was loath ,
- wast loath ,
- were loath ,
- wert loath .
- about face ,
- about faced ,
- about facing ,
- bottomed out ,
- bottoms out ,
- changed gears ,
- changes gears ,
- changing gears ,
- co oked ,
- co oking ,
- co-oked ,
- co-oking ,
- dialed back ,
- dialing back ,
- dialled back ,
- dialling back ,
- dials back ,
- dis locate ,
- dis located ,
- dis locates ,
- dis locating ,
- dis place ,
- dis placed ,
- dis places ,
- dis placing ,
- dis-locate ,
- dis-located ,
- dis-locates ,
- dis-locating ,
- dis-place ,
- dis-placed ,
- dis-places ,
- dis-placing ,
- flip flopped ,
- flip flopping ,
- flip-flopped ,
- flipflopped ,
- flipflopping ,
- moved over ,
- moves around ,
- moves over ,
- moving around ,
- moving over ,
- re arrange ,
- re arranged ,
- re arranges ,
- re arranging ,
- re calibrate ,
- re calibrated ,
- re calibrates ,
- re calibrating ,
- re locate ,
- re located ,
- re locates ,
- re locating ,
- re move ,
- re moved ,
- re moving ,
- re position ,
- re positioned ,
- re positioning ,
- re positions ,
- re-arrange ,
- re-arranged ,
- re-arranges ,
- re-arranging ,
- re-calibrate ,
- re-calibrated ,
- re-calibrates ,
- re-calibrating ,
- re-locate ,
- re-located ,
- re-locates ,
- re-locating ,
- re-move ,
- re-moves ,
- re-moving ,
- re-position ,
- re-positioned ,
- re-positioning ,
- re-positions ,
- recalibrates ,
- swapped places ,
- swapping places ,
- swaps places ,
- switched over ,
- switches over ,
- switching over ,
- turn corner ,
- turn tables ,
- turned corner ,
- turned tables ,
- turned the corner ,
- turning corner ,
- turning tables ,
- turning the corner ,
- turns around ,
- turns corner ,
- turns tables ,
- turns the corner ,
- turns the tables .
- over lap ,
- over lapped ,
- over lapping ,
- over laps ,
- over-lap ,
- over-lapped ,
- over-lapping ,
- over-laps ,
- titubated ,
- titubates ,
- titubating .
- change one mind ,
- change ones mind ,
- changed mind ,
- changed one mind ,
- changed one's mind ,
- changed ones mind ,
- changes mind ,
- changes one mind ,
- changes one's mind ,
- changes ones mind ,
- changing mind ,
- changing one mind ,
- changing one's mind ,
- changing ones mind .
- move and fro ,
- move fro ,
- move to fro ,
- moved and fro ,
- moved fro ,
- moved to and fro ,
- moved to fro ,
- moves and fro ,
- moves fro ,
- moves to and fro ,
- moves to fro ,
- moving and fro ,
- moving fro ,
- moving to and fro ,
- moving to fro ,
- wigwags .
- am unable decide ,
- am unable to decide ,
- are unable decide ,
- are unable to decide ,
- art unable decide ,
- art unable to decide ,
- be unable decide ,
- being unable decide ,
- being unable to decide ,
- de liberate ,
- de liberated ,
- de liberates ,
- de liberating ,
- de-liberate ,
- de-liberated ,
- de-liberates ,
- de-liberating ,
- is unable decide ,
- is unable to decide ,
- pussyfooted around ,
- pussyfooting around ,
- pussyfoots around ,
- ran hot and cold ,
- ran hot cold ,
- run hot cold ,
- running hot cold ,
- runs hot and cold ,
- runs hot cold ,
- was unable decide ,
- was unable to decide ,
- wast unable decide ,
- wast unable to decide ,
- were unable decide ,
- were unable to decide ,
- wert unable decide ,
- wert unable to decide .
Other synonyms:
- pause .
Other relevant words:
- Dusting ,
- Exchanging ,
- Faulted ,
- Faulting ,
- Floundered ,
- Idled ,
- Limped ,
- Loitered ,
- Motions ,
- Paused ,
- Sauntered ,
- Shied ,
- Shilly-shally ,
- Shying ,
- Stammered ,
- Stickled ,
- Stickling ,
- Strolled ,
- Teetering ,
- Titubate ,
- Trifled ,
- Wabble ,
- Whiffle ,
- Whiffled ,
- Whiffling ,
- Wigwagged ,
- Wigwagging ,
- YOYO ,
- Zigzagged ,
- Zigzagging ,
- act reciprocally ,
- alternate ,
- balance ,
- be defective ,
- be dilatory ,
- be equivalent ,
- be long ,
- be on the fence ,
- be tardy ,
- be unable to decide ,
- be undecided ,
- beat ,
- blow hot and cold ,
- bob ,
- bobble ,
- bobbled ,
- bobbles ,
- bobbling ,
- bottom out ,
- bottoming out ,
- change ,
- change gears ,
- change mind ,
- change one's mind ,
- chop ,
- chop and change ,
- come and go ,
- convulsion ,
- demur ,
- dial back ,
- dilly-dally ,
- dillydally ,
- dithered ,
- dithering ,
- doubt ,
- drop the ball ,
- dropped the ball ,
- dropping the ball ,
- dubiety ,
- falter ,
- feel in return ,
- fill in for ,
- flip-flopping ,
- fluctuation ,
- fluffed ,
- fluffing ,
- fly ,
- follow in turn ,
- goof off ,
- goofing off ,
- halt ,
- hang out ,
- have doubts ,
- have one's doubts ,
- hesitance ,
- hesitancy ,
- hesitate ,
- hesitation ,
- hobble ,
- idles ,
- idling ,
- indecision ,
- indetermination ,
- inter-change ,
- irresolution ,
- jarring ,
- labouring ,
- libration ,
- lick ,
- limp ,
- linger ,
- looseness ,
- lurch ,
- lurching ,
- made up for ,
- make for ,
- make up for ,
- making for ,
- move around ,
- move over ,
- move slowly ,
- move to and fro ,
- moved around ,
- moving slowly ,
- oscillate ,
- oscillating ,
- oscillation ,
- overlapping ,
- paid one's dues ,
- pay dues ,
- pay one's dues ,
- pendulum ,
- pitching ,
- poise ,
- pussyfoot ,
- pussyfoot around ,
- qualms ,
- quaver ,
- recalibrate ,
- recalibrated ,
- recalibrating ,
- reciprocate ,
- reel ,
- reel off ,
- reeler ,
- remonstrate ,
- reposition ,
- repositioned ,
- repositioning ,
- repositions ,
- return the compliment ,
- ripple ,
- rock ,
- rocker ,
- roll ,
- run hot and cold ,
- running hot and cold ,
- scratch one's back ,
- scruple ,
- seesaw ,
- serve out ,
- served out ,
- shies ,
- shift ,
- shifting ,
- shillyshally ,
- sit around ,
- speak haltingly ,
- stagger ,
- staggering ,
- stick around ,
- stickle ,
- stickles ,
- stub toe ,
- substitute ,
- swap places ,
- swell ,
- swinging ,
- swished ,
- swishes ,
- swishing ,
- switch over ,
- take exception ,
- take one's time ,
- take time ,
- taking exception ,
- taking one's time ,
- teeter ,
- teeter-totter ,
- teeterboard ,
- thrill ,
- ticker ,
- tilt ,
- to-and-fro ,
- tooled ,
- tooling ,
- tossing ,
- totter ,
- traded ,
- tremored ,
- tremoring ,
- trip up ,
- tripped up ,
- turn around ,
- turn the corner ,
- turn the tables ,
- turned around ,
- turned the tables ,
- turning around ,
- vacillation ,
- variance ,
- variation ,
- vibration ,
- waffle ,
- wait around ,
- wave ,
- waver ,
- waving ,
- wiggle-waggle ,
- wigwag ,
- will and will not ,
- willy-nilly ,
- wobble ,
- wobble about ,
- yo-yo ,
- yo-yos ,
- zigzags .
- Evolved ,
- Metamorphosed ,
- Re-form ,
- Revolutionizing ,
- made over ,
- make innovations ,
- make over ,
- metamorphose ,
- re-formed ,
- remake ,
- remakes ,
- remaking ,
- restyle ,
- restyled ,
- restyling ,
- tamper with ,
- tampered with ,
- tampering with ,
- tampers with ,
- transfigure ,
- transformed ,
- warp .
- Feared ,
- Fearing ,
- Misdoubt ,
- Misgave ,
- Misgiven ,
- Skepticize ,
- be apprehensive of ,
- be curious ,
- be dubious ,
- be in a quandary ,
- be puzzled ,
- be uncertain ,
- be undetermined ,
- call in question ,
- doubting ,
- give no credence ,
- harbor suspicion ,
- have qualms ,
- misgive ,
- misgives ,
- not buy ,
- read differently ,
- smell a rat ,
- smelling a rat ,
- take dim view of ,
- wonder at .
- Hesitated ,
- be irresolute ,
- be reluctant ,
- be unwilling ,
- hold off ,
- pull back ,
- pulled back ,
- pulling back ,
- pulls back ,
- shy away ,
- sit on fence ,
- stutter ,
- think about ,
- think twice ,
- thinking about ,
- thinking twice ,
- thinks about ,
- thought about .
- Dallying ,
- Demurring ,
- Fluctuant ,
- Haver ,
- Pendulate ,
- See-saw ,
- Vacillatory ,
- abjure ,
- avoid ,
- back and fill ,
- balk ,
- be doubtful ,
- be indecisive ,
- be loath ,
- be loth ,
- be obstructive ,
- blow ,
- boggle ,
- brood ,
- bulk large ,
- caprice ,
- careen ,
- cavil ,
- changeable ,
- coggle ,
- curvet ,
- dance ,
- dangle ,
- delay ,
- dickey ,
- dillydallying ,
- dodge ,
- double-minded ,
- doubtful ,
- drag ,
- drag one's feet ,
- ebb and flow ,
- eccentric ,
- entwine ,
- equivocate ,
- erratic ,
- evade ,
- faltering ,
- fence ,
- fend off ,
- fickle ,
- fiddle-faddle ,
- flap ,
- flicker ,
- flit ,
- flitter ,
- flop ,
- flounder ,
- fluctuating ,
- flutter ,
- fumble ,
- give the run-around ,
- halting ,
- hang ,
- hang back ,
- hang fire ,
- hedge ,
- hem and haw ,
- hesitant ,
- hesitating ,
- hover ,
- hum and haw ,
- in two minds ,
- inconstant ,
- indecisive ,
- insecure ,
- irresolute ,
- knit ,
- lag ,
- levitate ,
- loiter ,
- loom ,
- mark time ,
- mercurial ,
- nutate ,
- palter ,
- parry ,
- pendulous ,
- pitch ,
- play for time ,
- poke ,
- prevaricate ,
- quake ,
- qualify ,
- quibble ,
- quiver ,
- relinquish ,
- resonate ,
- retract ,
- rootless ,
- shake ,
- shaky ,
- shift one's ground ,
- shilly-shallying ,
- shrink from ,
- shuffle ,
- shuttle ,
- sidestep ,
- stick at ,
- stonewall ,
- stop to consider ,
- straddle ,
- stumble ,
- swag ,
- swerve ,
- swing ,
- switch ,
- swither ,
- tarry ,
- temporize ,
- tentative ,
- tergiversate ,
- tickle ,
- timid ,
- toddle ,
- toggle ,
- toss ,
- trim ,
- turn ,
- uncertain ,
- unresolved ,
- unsettled ,
- unstable ,
- unsteady ,
- unsure ,
- vacillating ,
- veer ,
- volatile ,
- waggle ,
- wait ,
- wamble ,
- waste time ,
- wavering ,
- wax and wane ,
- weak ,
- weak-kneed ,
- weave ,
- withdraw from ,
- wobbly ,
- wriggle ,
- zigzag .
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•
How to use "Vacillate" in context?
When we vacillate, we jump from one decision to another but never settle on one. This can make it hard to make decisions and sometimes lead to trouble. vacillate has both positive and negative connotations, but in general it means to waver or oscillate between different positions. vacillating between jobs, friends, and ideas can be frustrating and time-consuming, but it's also a characteristic of creativity and flexibility. vacillation can also mean to oscillate back and forth between two emotions, or to fluctuate between two body temperatures. vacillation can be a sign of instability, but it can also be a sign of growth.
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