WAVER Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'waver' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of waver are falter , hesitate , and vacillate . While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat. // wavered in his support of the rebels

Q: Where would 'falter' be a reasonable alternative to 'waver'?

While the synonyms falter and waver are close in meaning, falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear. // never once faltered during her testimony

Q: When could 'hesitate' be used to replace 'waver'?

The words hesitate and waver are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing. // hesitated before answering the question

Q: When would 'vacillate' be a good substitute for 'waver'?

The synonyms vacillate and waver are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision. // vacillated until events were out of control

waver 1 of 2

verb

ˈwā-vər

Definition of waver

as in to hesitate

to show uncertainty about the right course of action he's still wavering about whether to take the job

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to falter

to swing unsteadily back and forth or from side to side the steel tower wavered for a moment before falling over

Synonyms & Similar Words

waver

2 of 2

noun

as in sway

Related Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb waver differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of waver are falter, hesitate, and vacillate. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

Where would falter be a reasonable alternative to waver?

While the synonyms falter and waver are close in meaning, falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

When could hesitate be used to replace waver?

The words hesitate and waver are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

When would vacillate be a good substitute for waver?

The synonyms vacillate and waver are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

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 waver

Verb

The 69-year-old New Orleans native has never wavered in his claims of innocence, insisting since his 1977 arrest that the cops had the wrong guy. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 6 Aug. 2026 But as those renderings have given way to requests for special permits, Tromba said, her support has wavered. — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026

Noun

Ocando advises looking for a waver with adjustable temperature settings, ceramic or ionic barrels, and a grip on the top of the tool, which gives you better control while styling. — Lily Wohlner, Allure, 18 Mar. 2026 When those practitioners are taken away from patients, our pluck and determination waver. — Mindy Uhrlaub, STAT, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for waver

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waver

Verb

The reasons customers hesitate, why deals stall, or what causes operational issues to repeat themselves are often revealed in conversation, not in structured fields.

— Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
People interrupt each other, hesitate to speak up, overlook important perspectives, or drift away from the purpose of the meeting.

— Alison Wood Brooks, Harvard Business Review, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of hesitate

Verb

Without those conditions, efforts to end the fighting are apt to falter, and the strategic, economic, and human costs will continue to mount.

— Matt Waldman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Apartment values appear to have faltered in Oakland, an economic erosion that has unleashed loan delinquencies and even foreclosures in a growing number of instances.

— George Avalos, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of falter

Noun

Softening rather than stiffening when moving through space requires embracing your body’s natural sway and tiny micro-movements, like an ankle wobbling or knee jiggling.

— Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
That’s given Betancourt tremendous sway in Venezuelan oil circles, the people said, in spite of years of investigations in Europe, the US and Venezuela over allegations of corruption, money laundering and tax fraud.

— Fabiola Zerpa, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of sway

Noun

The rock fitting of the would-be First Lady was eventually picked out at the Van Cleef & Arpels Fifth Avenue boutique in New York City.

— Freya Drohan, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
One of the biggest changes was to replace the long, rock groins originally proposed with short, landscaped headlands.

— Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of rock

Verb

First, Murdock recognized the Falcons setting up a screen and then shook off a block attempt by the pulling center and dropped running back Tyler Goodson for no gain.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
In quiet spaces, cues on whether the ground is shaking are distorted by our expectations.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of shake

Noun

Behind the scenes, White House officials have spent months waving Kennedy off his vaccine agenda amid a historic wave of measles infections.

— Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Sierra’s decision created waves as Rubenstein had supported an audit of the pension fund and its expenses.

— Helen I. Bennett, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of wave

Verb

Which is troubling for buildings like 432 Park Avenue, a skyscraper made using white concrete that features heavily in The History of Concrete, wobbling in the wind.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026
The House of Murphy is a juggernaut, but its foundation appears to be wobbling.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of wobble

Browse Nearby Words

wavelets

waver

wavered

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“Waver.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waver. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of waver

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