waver

C2+ Topic:People & Society

US /ˈweɪvɚ/ UK /ˈweɪvə/ See IPA manual

verb noun

Meanings

1

verb
to be unsteady or undecided; to falter

Her voice began to waver as she recalled the loss.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to be unsteady or... falter hesitate vacillate wobble fluctuate dither totter oscillate

Opposites

steady resolve persiststand firm

Word family

Forms waverers

Derived forms wavererwaveringwaveringly

Related forms wave wavy

Etymology

From Middle English waveren ('to wander, fluctuate'), a frequentative formed on the base of wave (Old English wafian 'to wave the hands'), of Germanic origin.

waveren Middle English wafian Old English

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Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives

# waver

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** ˈweɪvɚ
**IPA (UK):** ˈweɪvə

## Meanings
1. to be unsteady or undecided; to falter

## Examples
- Her voice began to waver as she recalled the loss.

## Synonyms
- falter
- hesitate
- vacillate
- wobble
- fluctuate
- dither
- totter
- oscillate

## Antonyms
- steady
- resolve
- persist
- stand firm

## Derived Forms
- waverer
- wavering
- waveringly

## Related Forms
- wave
- wavy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: waveren
- Root: wafian

## Etymology
From Middle English waveren ('to wander, fluctuate'), a frequentative formed on the base of wave (Old English wafian 'to wave the hands'), of Germanic origin.

## AI Etymology
Waver comes from Middle English waveren ('to wander, fluctuate'), a frequentative formed on the base of wave (Old English wafian 'to wave the hands'), of Germanic origin. The historical trail runs through Middle English waveren and Old English wafian. In modern use it means to be unsteady or undecided; to falter. Derived formations include waverer, wavering, waveringly; related forms include wave, wavy.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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waver

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