vacillates

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Once he settles on the sofa beside me, McKellen vacillates between performative storytelling and genuine reflection.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

It is closer to music than epic, a mesmerizing suite of songs that conveys Tennyson’s private sorrow as he vacillates from unbearable agony to precarious hope.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

Peake’s staid and knowing portrayal stands in contrast and complement to that of Petticrew, whose resolute manner vacillates between a flinty swagger and true anguish.

From Salon • Nov. 14, 2024

As the score vacillates between rhythmic, melodic passages and warped dissonance, they look at times like they’re trying to worm their way out of their bodies.

From New York Times • Apr. 24, 2023

The fate of books vacillates with the fancies of book-lovers, and the improvements of a later age.

From Amenities of Literature Consisting of Sketches and Characters of English Literature by Disraeli, Isaac