verb
vacillate
Vacillate (verb) means to move or rock unevenly from one side to another.
verb
1
To move or rock unevenly from one side to another.
2
To keep changing your mind between different choices or opinions, unable to settle on one.
"On the streets of Berlin, Ruth and her compatriots vacillated "between hope and despair.""
— Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage (2004)
"Though it is vital to be alert for circumstances which require a change of plan, it is fatal to vacillate."
— I. A. Horowitz, Readers' Games (1944)
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Etymology
Comes from Latin vacillātum, the supine form of vacillō (“sway, waver”); by surface analysis, it breaks down as Latin vacill- + -ate.
Related words
Rhymes for vacillate
See all rhymes for vacillate →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of vacillate?
"vacillate" (verb) means to move or rock unevenly from one side to another.
What is another word for vacillate?
Other words for "vacillate" include vibrate, fluctuate, hover, oscillate, waver.
What is the opposite of vacillate?
The opposite of "vacillate" is adhere.
What are the different meanings of vacillate?
"vacillate" has 2 main meanings: 1. To move or rock unevenly from one side to another; 2. To keep changing your mind between different choices or opinions, unable to settle on one.
