Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Unsure of how to act or proceed; undecided.
- adj. Lacking in resolution; indecisive.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Not resolute or firm in purpose; unable to form a resolution; wavering; given to doubt or hesitation.
- Synonyms Vacillating, hesitating, undecided, unsettled, faltering.
Wiktionary
- adj. Undecided or unsure how to act
- adj. Indecisive or lacking in resolution
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Not resolute; not decided or determined; wavering; given to doubt or irresolution.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. uncertain how to act or proceed
Etymologies
- c 1580, from French irrésolu or ir- + resolute (Wiktionary)
Examples
“Liz, a slender slip of a creature, large-eyed, and woe-begone, stood up before him staring at him in irresolute wretchedness, as he seated himself.”
“As to being "irresolute" I've heard worse and from a better bunch than this.”
“She held out her hand to Donal with a kind of irresolute motion, but withdrawing it, smiled almost beseechingly, and said,”
“I knew that every minute was precious to me, yet I remained irresolute in what manner to commence the interview; when the old man addressed me — 'By your language, stranger, I suppose you are my countryman; — are you French?”
“O never appeared surprised by events or irresolute in adversity.”
“They tried not to be publicly judgmental about the character of the incumbent president, but they believed his celebrated political talents disguised an immature and irresolute nature.”
“Unsure what to do, the central authorities used what tools they had in counterproductive ways—irresolute and unpredictable stabs of force along with unenforceable attempts at economic blackmail.”
“After all, only a hopelessly dysfunctional, politically riven and terminally confused and irresolute society would respond to naked aggression by an oppressive Arab tyranny against its neighbor by launching a large-scale invasion, only to abruptly end hostilities with the aggressor government intact and still in power, settling instead for a long-term blockade to prevent the aggressor from rearming.”
“The president seems irresolute and unreliable, even when doing the right thing.”
“All this muddle adds to the sense that Mr. Obama is irresolute, weak and unreliable, even when doing the right thing.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘irresolute’.
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GRE 2014
abate, abdicate, abase, aberrant, abeyance, abhor, abjure, abortive, abound, abrasive, abreast, abridge and 1577 more...
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@vcb.etym.prjct - SAT WORD DUMP - as ...
The words on this list SAT regulars that I haven't sorted and grouped yet. It's like my wordy holding pen. get it? holding the pen to write a word? HA! I love how lame my humor is.
iconoclast, glacial, agnostic, histrionic, treacly, contemptuous, captious, bombastic, bombast, perfidy, quiescence, sordid and 148 more...
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4087 more...
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Dominant/Submissive
single-minded, self-seeking, vain, territorial, stubborn, self-possessed, unwary, self-important, rigid, relentless, resolute, purposeful and 189 more...
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501
Classic
mete, ire, bane, bilk, boor, elan, ado, toil, onus, aberration, abstruse, anomaly and 401 more...
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GRE Barron's 800
abate, abdicate, aberrant, abeyance, abject, abjure, abscission, abscond, abstemious, abstinence, abysmal, accretion and 787 more...
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501
Classic
abhor, mirth, obtuse, iota, vex, irk, teem, pith, moot, mete, ire, bane and 401 more...
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501
Classic
irk, teem, blight, pith, moot, mete, ire, bane, bilk, boor, elan, ado and 401 more...
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501
Classic
bane, bilk, boor, elan, ado, toil, onus, aberration, abstruse, anomaly, assiduous, august and 401 more...
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emo words
feelings...blah, blah, blah, feelings...
forsaken, anguish, angst, sorrowful, dejected, depressed, disconsolate, heartbroken, genial, chipper, inadequate, helpless and 58 more...
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man gre
abase, abeyance, abreast, abscission, abscond, abyss, accede, accretion, acerbic, acidulous, acumen, adulterate and 483 more...
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Moby Dick
Words of interest from the book Moby Dick.
arrant, obstreperously, coffer-dam, farrago, rejoinder, counterpane, hamper, commend, grego, dreadnought, psalmody, expostulation and 85 more...
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November
irresolute, obsequious, truculent, palliative, salvo, troubadour, elocutionist, pseudepigraphy, abattoir, repudiate, impugn, vitiated and 3 more...
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gre2
aberrant, aberration, aboveboard, abrasive, abstemious, acme, admonish, affable, affluent, alacrity, allegory, alleviate and 1834 more...
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jaradgiese's Words
paronomasia, ostensible, insouciant, sobriquet, burlesque, insalubrious, apotheosis, hyperbole, connubial, felicity, florid, conurbation and 642 more...
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My preparation
for GRE ofcourse
exonerate, incipient, disparate, morbid, engross, ebullient, predilection, propensity, allure, qualms, chastise, perpetuate and 111 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for irresolute.
wiregj Please check the way your seaking irresolute sounds speaker has said irrevolute, is that correct? Jun 4, 2012