hand-wringing

noun

hand-wring·​ing ˈhand-ˌriŋ-iŋ How to pronounce hand-wringing (audio)
: an overwrought expression of concern or guilt
handwringer noun

Examples of hand-wringing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Huang’s unapologetic stance on AI is bracing in its way, especially in contrast with the public hand-wringing of many AI chieftains, fretting about the dangers of their LLMs while continuing to develop them. James Surowiecki, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025 The latest round of hand-wringing on AI was set off last week when Alibaba’s co-founder said the rush to erect new facilities is getting ahead of demand for AI services. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025 Ironically, the film is tracking rather nicely for a March release despite all the hand-wringing and hubbub, with Snow White likely debuting at $50 million to $56 million domestically, according to a leading tracking service. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025 There's obviously been a lot of hand-wringing over how Democrats treated the State of the Union address. ABC News, 9 Mar. 2025 When it was published a few years ago in The Believer, the essay prompted much hand-wringing about AI and creativity, separating the collaborationists from the resistance. Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025 Throw in concerns about youth crime, and the hand-wringing becomes positively deafening. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2025 There was the usual hand-wringing about a lack of commercially minded movies on the slate, and a dearth of big sales. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2025 With as much hand-wringing as today’s style of play gets from the masses, games then were often low-scoring and dependent on isolation ball. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand-wringing was in 1839

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Cite this Entry

“Hand-wringing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand-wringing. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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