What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
dither
Example
I'm dithering between two options for my vacation. [dithering: present participle]
Example
The politician's dithering on the issue caused frustration among voters. [dithering: noun]
waver
Example
She wavered between accepting the job offer and staying at her current job. [wavered: past tense]
Example
The flame of the candle wavered in the breeze. [wavered: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Waver is more commonly used than dither in everyday language. Waver is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while dither is less common and more specific to certain situations.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between dither and waver?
Both dither and waver are relatively formal words and may not be commonly used in casual conversation. However, waver is more versatile and can be used in a wider range of formality levels than dither.