as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
in Congress there was a lot of fence-sitting, with many representatives waiting to see which way the political wind was blowing
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Recent Examples of fence-sitting
The outcome of this exceptionally tight presidential race may turn on whether Harris, in these final days of the campaign, can convince enough fence-sitting voters to embrace that message.
—
David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
After the meeting, three delegates who had been fence-sitting for months sought me out for the secret handshake.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 17 Sep. 2024
The endorsement is just one part of Harris' strategy to win over fence-sitting Republican voters.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2024
With the world watching, President Biden delivered a press conference performance strong enough to buy time from fence-sitting Democrats — but wobbly enough to keep the mutiny armed and dangerous.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 12 July 2024
In an impassioned speech – sketched out on little notecards, no less – Rhys had managed to sway enough of the fence-sitting members, and the bylaws had been amended.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
Given the close nature of the race, these fence-sitting voters could play a crucial role in determining who will become the next president.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
That question must haunt the pair — director-writer John Ridley and his star Regina King — who collaborated on this sometimes touching but fence-sitting portrayal of Chisholm.
—Armond White, National Review, 27 Mar. 2024
Washington also needs to strengthen the incentives for fence-sitting countries to work with the United States by offering better access to the American market.
—Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2024
After the meeting, three delegates who had been fence-sitting for months sought me out for the secret handshake.
—Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 17 Sep. 2024
The endorsement is just one part of Harris' strategy to win over fence-sitting Republican voters.
—Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2024
With the world watching, President Biden delivered a press conference performance strong enough to buy time from fence-sitting Democrats — but wobbly enough to keep the mutiny armed and dangerous.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 12 July 2024
In an impassioned speech – sketched out on little notecards, no less – Rhys had managed to sway enough of the fence-sitting members, and the bylaws had been amended.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
Given the close nature of the race, these fence-sitting voters could play a crucial role in determining who will become the next president.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
That question must haunt the pair — director-writer John Ridley and his star Regina King — who collaborated on this sometimes touching but fence-sitting portrayal of Chisholm.
—Armond White, National Review, 27 Mar. 2024
Washington also needs to strengthen the incentives for fence-sitting countries to work with the United States by offering better access to the American market.
—Ryan Hass, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fence-sitting
Noun
-
For example, a financial services organization rolling out a new product and working to generate sales using only CRM data might overlook early signs of buyer hesitation.—
Eilon Reshef,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
-
The common signs of vision loss include bumping into objects, difficulty finding food or toys, hesitation with jumping, anxiety, clinginess, or even aggression due to vulnerability.—
Kevin Lynn,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Participant hesitancy creates a real disadvantage when trying to communicate openly, develop an understanding of a person or situation, or negotiate effectively.—
Jason Foodman,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
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The timing of their pressing was off because of their hesitancy to press high.—
Charlotte Harpur,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The result: The office tasked with managing the return to student loan repayment after a long pandemic pause, as well as the rollout of an overhauled FAFSA, was flat-funded for 2023.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
16 Jan. 2025
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High-profile premieres have been canceled, and the city’s once-bustling red carpets are now on pause.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sahar Abi-Hassan, an assistant professor in political science at Northeastern University who studies the behavior of the Supreme Court, says the court might side with TikTok for several reasons, including its historical hesitance toward restricting speech.—
Lauren Feiner,
The Verge,
9 Jan. 2025
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Still, Zhu’s hesitance to speak about Shein’s exposure to Xinjiang at the hearing might have been born of pragmatic reasons, or perhaps even strategic ones.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near fence-sitting
Cite this Entry
“Fence-sitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fence-sitting. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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