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vacillation

noun

vac·il·la·tion | \ ˌva-sə-ˈlā-shən

How to pronounce vacillation (audio)

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Definition of vacillation

1 : an act or instance of vacillating

2 : inability to take a stand : irresolution, indecision

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Examples of vacillation in a Sentence

the president was soundly criticized for his vacillation before responding to the crisis

Recent Examples on the Web Education leaders say they were not terribly surprised by the administration’s vacillation, as the 100-day plan was always vague and largely symbolic. — Erica L. Green, BostonGlobe.com, "Biden trims ambitions on school reopening pledge," 12 Feb. 2021 Grant’s vacillation reflected the glacial shift of Northern Republicans from considering Reconstruction a moral obligation to thinking it an electoral handicap. — Ron Grossman, chicagotribune.com, "Flashback: All the twists and turns of the election of 1876. Spoiler: We came close to major civil strife.," 25 Sep. 2020 While the California senator has three years of experience as a senator and six years more as her state’s attorney general, her presidential campaign was a disaster, doomed by vacillation and equivocation on important matters of policy. — John Mccormack, National Review, "Why Amy Klobuchar Is the Front-runner in the Democratic Veepstakes," 17 Apr. 2020 Their memories, coupled with their vacillations between adoration, disgust, shame, longing, and pain, powerfully resounded. — Treva B. Lindsey, Billboard, "Can I Separate Michael Jackson From the Music?: Guest Column," 22 Mar. 2019 The language of vacillation, which dominates the sequence, continually reconstitutes itself from joy to self-reproach, from choice to indecision. — Helen Vendler, Harper's magazine, "Dearest Lizzie," 20 Jan. 2020 Still others have contemplated bids before deciding against it: Mario M. Cuomo’s vacillations were so well known that people called him Hamlet on the Hudson. — Jesse Mckinley, New York Times, "Why N.Y.C. Mayors Have White House Dreams (and Voters Dash Them)," 11 Nov. 2019 Obama’s vacillation was blamed for Assad’s subsequent use of chemical weapons. — David Banks, The Conversation, "Syria military presence risks US credibility with world community," 26 Nov. 2019 Indeed, the vacillation and unpredictability of Trump’s trade policy have raised economic uncertainty to its highest levels since the 2008 recession, which in turn has weakened investment, employment gains, and market confidence. — Thomas J. Duesterberg, National Review, "Trump’s Trade Policy at a Crossroads," 17 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vacillation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

26 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Vacillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacillation. Accessed 28 Feb. 2021.

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