English vocabulary · C1
Vacillate
/ˈvæs.ɪ.leɪt/ · v.
It means to keep going back and forth between two choices. You cannot decide, and you keep changing your mind.
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Example sentences
- She vacillated for an hour, then picked neither.
- He vacillated between two jobs and lost both offers.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- vacillare — sway (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- WAVER (Between Two Feelings)
- HESITATE (Before Acting)
- DITHER (Nervous & Slow)
Similar words
- waver
- hesitate
- dither
Lesson notes
Vacillate. It means to keep going back and forth between two choices. You cannot decide, and you keep changing your mind.
Similar words are waver, hesitate, and dither. Use vacillate when someone keeps switching between two options and cannot choose.
She vacillated for an hour, then picked neither. He vacillated between two jobs and lost both offers.
From Latin. Vacillare means to sway. A person who sways left and right and cannot stop. That is to vacillate.