vacillating

/'væsileitiɳ/

Thân thiện

The committee is vacillating between two proposals.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Uncertain in purpose or action: Describes a person, their behavior, or their decisions as being hesitant, indecisive, or wavering between different options or courses of action.
   • Swaying or fluctuating: Describes something that moves or changes in an unsteady, wavering manner, though this physical sense is less common.

Usage

• The adjective "vacillating" is used to describe a person's character, mood, or decision-making process. It implies a lack of firmness or resolution.
• It can be used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "be" or "seem").

Examples

• Describing a person's character or decisions:
  • His vacillating leadership during the crisis frustrated the entire team.
  • She was tired of his vacillating opinions on the matter.
• Used predicatively:
  • The committee has been vacillating for weeks and still hasn't reached a conclusion.
  • I found him weak and vacillating when firm action was needed.

Advanced Usage

• "Vacillating between": A common construction to specify the options between which someone is wavering.
  • He spent the morning vacillating between ordering the steak or the fish.
  • Public opinion is vacillating between optimism and deep concern.

Variants and Related Words

• Vacillate (verb): To waver in mind, will, or feeling; to be indecisive.
  • He tends to vacillate when faced with important choices.
• Vacillation (noun): The state of being vacillating; indecision.
  • Her constant vacillation made it impossible to finalize the plans.

Synonyms

• Indecisive: Not able to make decisions quickly and effectively.
• Hesitant: Tentative, unsure, or slow in acting or speaking.
• Irresolute: Showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain.
• Wavering: Moving in a quivering way; fluctuating between different states.

Antonyms

• Decisive: Settling an issue; producing a definite result.
• Resolute: Admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.
• Steadfast: Resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. uncertain in purpose or action

Từ đồng nghĩa

• vacillant
• wavering