Friday, September 18, 2009

Vacillate Meaning and Usage

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Vacillate Meaning:

- to sway from one side to the other.
- oscillate.
- to waver in mind; show indecision.

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Derivatives:

vacillatingly - adverb
vacillation - noun
vacillator - noun

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Vacillate Synonyms:
dither, falter, fluctuate, hesitate, hover, oscillate, pause, stagger, sway, swing, teeter, totter, vibrate waffle, waver, weave, wobble.

Vacillate Antonyms:
remain, stay.

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Use Vacillate in a sentence:

1. I try hard not to vacillate in my dedication to honesty so others will always trust me.

2. One tends to vacillate about what food is healthier, particularly when the health experts come up with a different opinion each day.

3. He vacillated between republican and monarchist sentiments.

4. Her parents vacillated between different approaches to discipline.

5. Every scientific effort opens up a number of potential pathways for future investigation; the individual must find ways of coping with the danger of vacillation and pseudo-growth.

6. Unable to decide on which restaurant to enter, she vacillated for hours before opting for Italian.

7. He honestly mistook his sensuality for romantic emotion, his vacillation for the artistic temperament, and his idleness for philosophic calm.

8. “Pick a direction and go with it instead of vacillating back & forth.”

9. “If you vacillate for ever and are unable to decide, you will not get very far.”

10. “Mom vacillates between shades of green for the kitchen cabinets.”

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Mnemonic:
Sounds like Oscillate; something which moves from one position to another position.

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Some more examples:

1. The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate chip or ice cream.

2. Gwen vacillated for weeks before she decided to accept our offer.

3. For most of my teaching career, I vacillated between knowing too little and knowing too much.

4. As Jane waited, she found herself vacillating between two modes of thought.

5. I have vacillating opinions concerning my future career.
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