irresolution

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɪˌrɛzəˈluʃən/ UK /ɪˌrezəˈluːʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the state of being undecided or wavering

His chronic irresolution cost the firm several profitable contracts.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the state of being... indecision hesitancy vacillation wavering uncertaintyindecisiveness

Opposites

resolution decisiveness determination

Word family

Related forms irresolute resolution resolve

Etymology

From in- 'not' plus resolution, from Latin resolutio 'a loosening', from resolvere 'to loosen, settle', from re- plus solvere 'to loosen'.

resolutio Latin solvere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# irresolution

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪˌrɛzəˈluʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˌrezəˈluːʃən/

## Meanings
1. the state of being undecided or wavering

## Examples
- His chronic irresolution cost the firm several profitable contracts.

## Synonyms
- indecision
- hesitancy
- vacillation
- wavering
- uncertainty
- indecisiveness

## Antonyms
- resolution
- decisiveness
- determination

## Related Forms
- irresolute
- resolution
- resolve

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: resolutio
- Root: solvere

## Etymology
From in- 'not' plus resolution, from Latin resolutio 'a loosening', from resolvere 'to loosen, settle', from re- plus solvere 'to loosen'.

## AI Etymology
irresolution comes from in- 'not' plus resolution, from Latin resolutio 'a loosening', from resolvere 'to loosen, settle', from re- plus solvere 'to loosen'. Morphologically, the prefixed shape matters: the initial element belongs to the recorded formation and helps explain the modern form's surface analysis. In present English, the noun sense is "the state of being undecided or wavering", so the historical development ends in a clearly identifiable modern dictionary use. The same base also appears in related forms such as irresolute, resolution, and resolve. Its semantic neighborhood includes indecision, hesitancy, vacillation, and wavering, which helps locate the modern sense without adding a separate etymological claim. The named historical forms include Latin resolutio and Latin solvere.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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