If you say that someone suffers from indecision, you mean that they find it very difficult to make decisions.
After months of indecision, the government gave the plan the go-ahead on Monday.
The team has been plagued by indecision and internal divisions.
Synonyms: hesitation, doubt, uncertainty, wavering More Synonyms of indecision
indecision in American English
(ˌɪndiˈsɪʒən; ˌɪndɪˈsɪʒən)
noun
lack of decision; inability to decide or tendency to change the mind frequently; hesitation or vacillation
Word origin
Fr indécision < indécis, undecided < ML indecisus
Examples of 'indecision' in a sentence
indecision
She hesitated for a moment and was angry even at that display of indecision.
Thomas, Craig THE LAST RAVEN (2002)
Men who had been walking like extras in a movie were now in a farce, looking up and down the four possible exits in complete indecision.
Robert Wilson THE COMPANY OF STRANGERS (2002)
He stood frozen with indecision, trying to get back his breath.
Zindell, David THE BROKEN GOD (2002)
Quotations
There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drinking of every cup, the time of rising and going to bed every day, and the beginning of every bit of work, are subjects of express volitional deliberationWilliam JamesVarieties of Religious Experience
The cat would eat fish, but would not wet her feet
In other languages
indecision
British English: indecision NOUN
If you say that someone suffers from indecision, you mean that they find it very difficult to make decisions.
After months of indecision, the government gave the plan the go-ahead on Monday.
American English: indecision
Brazilian Portuguese: indecisão
Chinese: 迟疑不决
European Spanish: indecisión
French: indécision
German: Unentschlossenheit
Italian: indecisione
Japanese: 優柔不断
Korean: 우유부단
European Portuguese: indecisão
Latin American Spanish: indecisión
(noun)
After months of indecision, they gave the go-ahead on Monday.
Synonyms
hesitation
After some hesitation, he answered her question.
doubt
They were troubled and full of doubt.
uncertainty
There is genuine uncertainty about the party's future plans.
wavering
ambivalence
I've never hidden my ambivalence about going back to work.
dithering mainly British)
hesitancy
A trace of hesitancy showed in Dr Stockton's eyes.
indecisiveness
vacillation
The Prime Minister was pilloried for vacillation and weakness.
shilly-shallying (informal)
irresolution
Quotation
There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drinking of every cup, the time of rising and going to bed every day, and the beginning of every bit of work, are subjects of express volitional deliberation [William James – Varieties of Religious Experience]
proverb
The cat would eat fish, but would not wet her feet
Additional synonyms
in the sense of ambivalence
Definition
the state of feeling two conflicting emotions at the same time
I've never hidden my ambivalence about going back to work.
Synonyms
indecision,
doubt,
opposition,
conflict,
uncertainty,
contradiction,
wavering,
fluctuation,
hesitancy,
equivocation,
vacillation,
irresolution
in the sense of doubt
Definition
uncertainty about the truth, facts, or existence of something
They were troubled and full of doubt.
Synonyms
uncertainty,
confusion,
hesitation,
dilemma,
scepticism,
misgiving,
suspense,
indecision,
bewilderment,
lack of confidence,
hesitancy,
perplexity,
vacillation,
lack of conviction,
irresolution,
dubiety
in the sense of hesitancy
A trace of hesitancy showed in Dr Stockton's eyes.