waver

1 of 3

verb

wa·​ver ˈwā-vər How to pronounce waver (audio)
wavered; wavering
ˈwāv-riŋ,
ˈwā-və-riŋ How to pronounce waver (audio)
Synonyms of wavernext

intransitive verb

1
: to vacillate irresolutely between choices : fluctuate in opinion, allegiance, or direction
2
a
: to weave or sway unsteadily to and fro : reel, totter
b
: quiver, flicker
wavering flames
c
: to hesitate as if about to give way : falter
3
: to give an unsteady sound : quaver
waverer
ˈwā-və-rər How to pronounce waver (audio)
noun
waveringly
ˈwāv-riŋ-lē
ˈwā-və- How to pronounce waver (audio)
adverb

waver

2 of 3

noun (1)

: an act of wavering, quivering, or fluttering

waver

3 of 3

noun (2)

wav·​er ˈwā-vər How to pronounce waver (audio)
: one that waves

Synonyms

Verb

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for waver

swing, sway, oscillate, vibrate, fluctuate, waver, undulate mean to move from one direction to its opposite.

swing implies a movement of something attached at one end or one side.

the door suddenly swung open

sway implies a slow swinging or teetering movement.

trees swaying in the breeze

oscillate stresses a usually regular alternation of direction.

an oscillating fan

vibrate suggests the rapid oscillation of an elastic body under stress or impact.

the vibrating strings of a piano

fluctuate suggests constant irregular changes of level, intensity, or value.

fluctuating interest rates

waver stresses irregular motion suggestive of reeling or tottering.

the exhausted runner wavered before collapsing

undulate suggests a gentle wavelike motion.

an undulating sea of grass

hesitate, waver, vacillate, falter mean to show irresolution or uncertainty.

hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

Examples of waver in a Sentence

Verb people who are still wavering between the two candidates They never wavered in their support for their leader. Despite the changes, he did not waver from his plan to retire. The kite wavered in the wind.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Support for Trump did not waver in the reliably conservative Clark County despite his false claims about Springfield. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 16 Nov. 2024 Fox News never wavered in its decision to award Arizona’s 11 electoral votes to Biden days before its competitors. —Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
Those that love to be the red flag wavers walking in front of progress will not be employed to do so because the fastest car in this race wins the geopolitical grand prix and the hegemony cup. —Clem Chambers, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 Hot Tools Pro Artist 24K Gold Digital 3-Barrel Hair Waver Save 33% on this crazy Amazon beauty deal on the Hot Tools hair waver. —Kasey Caminiti, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for waver 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English; akin to Old English wǣfre restless, wafian to wave with the hands — more at wave

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1519, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of waver was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing waver

Dictionary Entries Near waver

wave pool

waver

wavery

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Waver.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waver. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

waver

verb
wa·​ver
ˈwā-vər
wavered; wavering
ˈwāv-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to go back and forth between choices
2
: to weave or sway to and fro
3
: to move unsteadily
waverer
ˈwā-vər-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on waver

Nglish: Translation of waver for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of waver for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...