to waffle

Examples

• All

• The real mystery here is why Romney is waffling on releasing his returns.

  Blog text (10)

• Can you, like, believe how he waffles on every issue?

  Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978)

• If the answer is no, or if they waffle, then you shouldn't waste your time with them.

  Blog text (7)

• Calhoun says he has waffled on his decision on whether to return for months.

  Blog text (19)

• And she was about to graduate and she'd been offered a job at the NFL Network and she was waffling about whether to take this job.

• So for me, procrastination is indecision, constantly waffling back and forth on what I feel is the right thing to work on.

• "Well, no," she says, waffling, as if maybe she's thought about complaining but just hasn't found the time.

  Fiction book (1995)

• I've allowed enough time between the contentious statements for you to answer concisely and accurately, but not enough time for you to get pompous, dogmatic, or to waffle.

  One More Kiss (1999)

• I wish he would stop waffling and just make a decision.

• Before finalizing her plans, she kept waffling about where to go on vacation.

Synonyms

H

to hesitate

vsto waffle

318 2.5

To pause before saying or doing something because you feel unsure

avoids committing to a view rather than briefly pausing out of doubt

W

to waver

vsto waffle

52 5.7

To show doubt when making a decision

avoids committing to a view rather than simply showing uncertainty

F

to flip-flop

vsto waffle

• Literature

23 5.3

To suddenly change your opinion or decision

avoids committing instead of making abrupt or repeated changes

V

to vacillate

vsto waffle

8 8.1

To be unable to decide and keep changing between choices

avoids committing to an opinion rather than repeatedly changing between them

D

to dither

vsto waffle

8 7.7

To act nervously and be unable to decide quickly

avoids committing or giving a clear position rather than only being nervous

W

to waffle on

vsto waffle

• Informal

3 9.0

To keep changing your mind and not give a clear answer

avoids committing in general rather than only in speech

H

to have to punt

vsto waffle

• Informal

1 9.2

To delay deciding for now because it is difficult or unclear

avoids committing to a choice rather than merely postponing it

S

to shilly-shally

vsto waffle

• Informal

1 9.9

To hesitate before making a decision

avoids committing to an opinion rather than simply hesitating

D

to dither over

vsto waffle

1 7.9

To hesitate before deciding, often about small things

avoids committing to decisions rather than only hesitating over small matters

S

to stand shilly-shally

vsto waffle

• Archaic

9.9

To be unsure and not decide

avoids committing instead of merely moving between options

S

to shillyshally

vsto waffle

• Informal

9.9

Hesitate instead of deciding or acting quickly

avoids committing to choices rather than only delaying action

W

to wabble

vsto waffle

9.9

To be unsure and change your mind often

avoids committing instead of frequently switching positions

T

to tergiversate

vsto waffle

• Formal

9.9

To give up long-held beliefs or loyalties in a way that seems weak

is about avoiding commitment to a current choice rather than abandoning beliefs

Antonyms

C

to commit

706 3.4

To give time, money, or effort to something

Phrasal Verbs

W

to waffle on

• Informal

3 9.0

To keep changing your mind and not give a clear answer

Compounds

B

Belgian waffle

6 2.3

A thick sweet waffle with deep pockets served with ice cream or fruit sauce

W

waffle iron

5 2.7

A kitchen tool with two hot plates that cooks batter into a patterned breakfast food

How Decisive

to decide

∞ 1.0

to hesitate

318 2.5

to waffle

15 8.3

to hem and haw

• Informal

3 8.4

Surface Forms

Etymology