Single word for a pattern of behaviour where you keep swapping between possibilities

Question

Some people don't have the ability to make up their mind. They keep swapping between two (or even more options). I'm not looking for a description of the type of person (like indecisive), but for a verb to describe this kind of behaviour.

Example sentence:

Bob's {swapping behaviour} is really annoying me!

Do you mean they can't make up their mind between two (or more) ideas (=indecisiveness, IMHO), or they keep switching between two (or more) options (i.e. no consistency, they choose option A on Monday, option B on Tuesday)? — TripeHound, Apr 30 '18 at 15:17

score 17 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 30 '18 at 07:24

17

Vacillation would fit your criteria. For example, the 'president's vacillation over foreign policy had far reaching consequences'.

answered Apr 30 '18 at 07:24

Archipelago2000

399

score 8 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

8

I would definitely say that he was flip-flopping.

Informal. a sudden or unexpected reversal, as of direction, belief, attitude, or policy.

...

Informal. to make a sudden or unexpected reversal, as of direction, belief, attitude, or policy.

Example:

The opposition claimed that the president had flip-flopped on certain issues.

edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

Community

1

answered Apr 30 '18 at 12:06

Matt

1,301

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 07:18

6

Examples include:

vacillate and its synonyms listed on TFD

answered Apr 30 '18 at 07:18

johnlee

551

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 10:01

5

indecisiveness TFD

Prone to or characterized by indecision; irresolute: an indecisive manager.

Inconclusive: an indecisive contest; an indecisive battle.

Not clearly defined; indefinite:

answered Apr 30 '18 at 10:01

lbf

30,385

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 11:45

Taken from Dictionary.com:

to vacillate or vacillation
The term matches your criteria perfectly, albeit it is not a common word.

to be irresolute or irresolution
In comparison to vacillation, this has the perk of being straightforward to understand.

to dilly-dally

(intransitive) (informal) to loiter or vacillate.

It adds another dimension of meaning due to being informal.

I believe that all three words can be applied to your example sentence.

score 2 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 13:02

2

Dither

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/dither

Example: Bob's dithering is really annoying me!

answered Apr 30 '18 at 13:02

dpel

121

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 13:22

2

"Waffling", in keeping with the annoyed tone.

answered Apr 30 '18 at 13:22

1

Although "waffle" would usually be taken to mean something else in British English : see https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/205119/the-origins-and-usages-of-waffle for more discussion – Phil M Jones Apr 30 '18 at 14:50

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 13:50

1

I've also heard "waver" or "wavering": Bob's wavering is really annoying me!

answered Apr 30 '18 at 13:50

BradC

3,924

score 0 · Answer 9 · edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

I think you could use "oscillation" :

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/oscillate?q=oscillation

oscillate
verb [ I ] UK /ˈɒs.ɪ.leɪt/ US /ˈɑː.səl.eɪt/

to move repeatedly from one position to another:
"The needle on the dial oscillated between full and empty "

[formal] If you oscillate between feelings or opinions, you change repeatedly from one to the other:
"My emotions oscillate between desperation and hope."

(...)

score -2 · Answer 10 · answered Apr 30 '18 at 09:16

-2

alternating between two poles or options

answered Apr 30 '18 at 09:16

Xanne

14,836

Single word for a pattern of behaviour where you keep swapping between possibilities

10 Answers10