1
as in hesitated
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
he's still wavering about whether to take the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in faltered
to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side
the steel tower wavered for a moment before falling over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wavered
His beam wavered on a patch of blankness, or the corner of an amp, and then began to roam the stage in desperation, scanning here and scanning there—until, from the darkness, the voice of Bruce Dickinson, Iron Maiden’s singer, was heard.
—
James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Her comfortable lead over her four primary challengers never wavered as votes rolled in.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
The Detroit Auto Show has been through several iterations, though brand participation has never wavered.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
For the Giants, bringing in Wilson represented a chance to stabilize an offense that had wavered in recent years.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
His health has wavered over the years, but his commitment to college football and the show never did.
—Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
Others will find themselves out of sync with what the business needs next, even if their loyalty and effort never wavered.
—Hope Horner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday, after a big jump last week on hopes for more interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.
—Damian J. Troise, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Smollett has never wavered from his claims of innocence.
—Alyssa Davis, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
James Parker, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
Her comfortable lead over her four primary challengers never wavered as votes rolled in.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
The Detroit Auto Show has been through several iterations, though brand participation has never wavered.
—Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 9 Sep. 2025
For the Giants, bringing in Wilson represented a chance to stabilize an offense that had wavered in recent years.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
His health has wavered over the years, but his commitment to college football and the show never did.
—Stephanie Gallman Jordan, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2025
Others will find themselves out of sync with what the business needs next, even if their loyalty and effort never wavered.
—Hope Horner, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Stocks wavered in afternoon trading on Wall Street Monday, after a big jump last week on hopes for more interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.
—Damian J. Troise, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Smollett has never wavered from his claims of innocence.
—Alyssa Davis, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wavered
Verb
-
Some executives hesitated, unsure of what to expect.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
While America has not hesitated to use oceanographic ships to send messages by transiting the Taiwan Strait or probing interesting waters near rivals, China has been far more adept at employing research ships to challenge status quo.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Hopes of a rail revolution that three years ago was poised to transform connectivity between major cities seem to have faltered.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The New England Patriots faltered in the second half to start the Mike Vrabel era with a 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The two of us boarded, then gently wobbled side to side for balance.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
28 Aug. 2025
-
But the wheels wobbled, with spurts of energy coming to dead stops as Wayne bounced from song to song.—
Heather Bushman,
IndyStar,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
After a while, the lady shook her head.—
Bryan Washington,
New Yorker,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The earthquake shook at a depth of just 4 miles, with its epicenter about 6 miles south-southeast of Pinnacles.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The murder, which rocked the quiet neighborhood and haunted those who loved Leslie, remained unsolved for over two decades.—
Claire Lempert,
ABC News,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Once again, a shooting with multiple victims has rocked Colorado – this time at a high school in Evergreen.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wavered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wavered. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share