Synonyms for vacillation
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Motion
2. Hesitation
hesitation, indecision, hesitancy, fickleness, fluctuation, pause, suspense, shilly-shally informal, irresolution, changeableness, inconstancy
Definitions
- n. 1
Indecision in speech or action.
- n. 2
Changing location by moving back and forth.
Related words
- Word family
- vacillate
Forms
- Plural
- vacillations → swings, oscillations, swingings, vibrations…
Example sentences
- oscillation Its motion resembles the oscillation of a pendulum.
- hesitation Mary jumped into the icy water without hesitation.
- indecision His indecision sowed the seeds of future trouble.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| vacillation | falling | |
| oscillation | falling | |
| hesitation | rising | |
| indecision | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- swing1, pause1
- 8 letters
- swinging2, suspense2
- 9 letters
- vibration3, hesitancy4
- 10 letters
- hesitation4, indecision4, fickleness3
- 11 letters
- oscillation4, fluctuation4, inconstancy4
- 12 letters
- irresolution
- 14 letters
- changeableness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (swinging2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- vacillation