wavering

[ wey-ver-ing ]

adjective

1. fluttering, swaying to and fro, tottering, or reeling:

   To make things more bearable, he imagined she was close by—just beyond that wavering curtain.

   The two stumbling cousins came to a wavering halt, leaning on each other.

2. flickering or quivering, as light:

   In the wavering light of the torch, the old warrior's face showed fond concern.

3. becoming unsteady; beginning to fail or give way:

   It wasn’t just the physical pain I suffered, it was the loss of self, the wavering sense of identity.

4. shaking or trembling, as the hands or voice:

   "Our thoughts are with our colleague’s family, friends, and loved ones," said the anchorman with a wavering voice.

5. feeling or showing doubt, indecision, etc.; vacillating:

   The disciplined mind is strong and effective, while the constantly wavering mind is weak and ineffective.

6. fluctuating or varying:

   The participants braved the wavering March weather for an engaging and action-packed day.

noun

1. the act or condition of becoming unsteady, vacillating, faltering, or fluctuating:

   Any wavering of attention is very likely to result in an error.

2. the act or condition of flickering, swaying, tottering, or fluttering:

   There was a wavering in the cracked screen.

3. the act or condition of shaking or trembling, as the hands or voice:

   Her fear began to manifest itself in a minute trembling of her hand and a slight wavering of her voice.

Other Words From

• wa·ver·ing·ly adverb
• non·wa·ver·ing adjective
• un·wa·ver·ing adjective
• un·wa·ver·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wavering¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; waver ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses; waver ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses

Example Sentences

This should have been a clear signal that Republican dedication to the bedrock principle that the state should serve the people was wavering.

From Salon

But in an election that could hinge on a narrow slice of voters, in just a handful of states, some experts say Trump’s abortion wavering could still cost him the election.

From BBC

Davis was hesitant to step into the role at first because of the network’s wavering commitment to the service in the past.

From Los Angeles Times

Harris’ speech focused on policies like climate change and reproductive care, honing in on Trump’s wavering commitment to upholding mifepristone access.

From Salon

The American gymnast crushed the vault portion of the event, before making up for a wavering beam performance with a stellar floor routine.

From Salon

Related Words

• undecided