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⇱ vacillate - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

vacillate

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈvæsɪleɪt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈvæsəˌleɪt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(vas′ə lāt′)

Inflections of 'vacillate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
vacillates
v 3rd person singular
vacillating
v pres p
vacillated
v past
vacillated
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
vac•il•late /ˈvæsəˌleɪt/USA pronunciation   v. [no object], -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 
  1. to be unsure in one's mind or opinion; be indecisive about what action to take:vacillated before deciding.
vac•il•la•tion /ˌvæsəˈleɪʃən/USA pronunciation  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
vac•il•late  (vas′ə lāt′),USA pronunciation v.i., -lat•ed, -lat•ing. 
  1. to waver in mind or opinion;
    be indecisive or irresolute:His tendency to vacillate makes him a poor leader.
  2. to sway unsteadily;
    waver;
    totter;
    stagger.
  3. to oscillate or fluctuate.
  • Latin vacillātus (past participle of vacillāre to sway to and fro); see -ate1
  • 1590–1600
vac′il•la′tor, n. 
    1. hesitate. See waver. 2.  reel.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
vacillate /ˈvæsɪˌleɪt/ vb (intransitive)
  1. to fluctuate in one's opinions; be indecisive
  2. to sway from side to side physically; totter or waver
Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin vacillāre to sway, of obscure originˌvacilˈlation n ˈvacilˌlator n
'vacillate' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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