Showing results for vacillates.

vacillates

VERB

go back and forth

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dither fluctuate oscillate seesaw waffle waver

STRONG

alternate change hedge hesitate hover pause reel rock stagger straddle sway swing

WEAK

be indecisive be irresolute change mind fence-straddle hem and haw pussyfoot around run hot and cold shilly-shally whiffle yo-yo

Antonyms

STRONGEST

remain stay

STRONG

continue hold persist

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

But Bruni easily could have been talking about Sacred Heart Hospital, whose staff vacillates between bridging the compassion gap between medical professionals and patients and managing our expectations.

From Salon • Feb. 26, 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

She vacillates between optimism and despair over Iran’s future.

From Washington Post • 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