vacillation

V4A1C3I1L1L1A1T1I1O1N1
/væsɪˈleɪʃən/

noun

Indecision in speech or action.

Similar
hesitationwaveringswingswinging
OriginMiddle English vacillacion ← Latin vacillātiō →
RareScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounvacillation (countable and uncountable, plural vacillations)

plural vacillations

  1. countableuncountableIndecision in speech or action.

    Synonyms: hesitation, wavering

  2. countableuncountableChanging location by moving back and forth.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounIndecision in speech or action.

Similar
hesitationwavering

motion

Similar
swingswinging

More synonyms by meaning

nounindecision in speech or action

Similar
hesitationwavering
Broader
indecisionindecisivenessirresolution

nounchanging location by moving back and forth

Similar
swingswinging
Broader
motionmovementmove
Also see
hesitationpauseswingswingingwavering

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinvacillātiō“swaying”
  2. Middle Englishvacillacion
  3. Englishvacillation

From Middle English vacillacion, a learned borrowing from Latin vacillātiō (“swaying”). By surface analysis, vacillate + -ion.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian колебливост, нереши́телност
  • колебливост (koleblivost)Indecision in speech or action
  • нереши́телност (nerešítelnost)Indecision in speech or action
  • люлеене (ljuleene)Changing location by moving back and forth
  • колебание (kolebanie)Changing location by moving back and forth
Catalan vacil·lació, vacil·lació
  • vacil·lacióIndecision in speech or action
  • vacil·lacióChanging location by moving back and forth
French vacillation
  • vacillationIndecision in speech or action
German Unentschlossenheit, Zögerlichkeit
  • UnentschlossenheitIndecision in speech or action
  • ZögerlichkeitIndecision in speech or action
  • UnschlüssigkeitIndecision in speech or action
Greek ταλάντευση, ταλάντευση
  • ταλάντευση (talántefsi)Indecision in speech or action
  • ταλάντευση (talántefsi)Changing location by moving back and forth
Irish luaineacht
  • luaineachtIndecision in speech or action
Russian нереши́тельность
  • нереши́тельность (nerešítelʹnostʹ)Indecision in speech or action
Spanish vacilación, vacilación
  • vacilaciónIndecision in speech or action
  • vacilaciónChanging location by moving back and forth
Swedish tveksamhet
  • tveksamhetIndecision in speech or action

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with vacillation

informationeducationlocationapplicationassociationadministrationorganizationcorporationregistrationAsianfoundationcommunicationpopulationnavigationstationaccommodationoperationpublicationvacationtransportationevaluationimplementationinstallationnation
All rhymes →

Anagrams

cavillation
Cite this entry
APA

vacillation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vacillation

MLA

“vacillation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vacillation. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vacillation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vacillation.

Source: vacillation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.