pussyfooter
One who hesitates
A pussyfooter is someone who moves cautiously or avoids committing to a position.
The word comes from pussyfoot, suggesting the soft, careful tread of a cat.
A pussyfooter hedges, equivocates, or tiptoes around difficult subjects rather than speaking directly: Stop being such a pussyfooter and tell me what you really think.
One who avoids commitment
- dodgerOne who avoids
- equivocatorOne who speaks ambiguously
- wafflerOne who hesitates endlessly
- prevaricatorOne who deceives verbally
fence-sitter · noncommittal · vague · ambiguous · oblique · circumlocutory · roundabout · sidestepper
Walk on foot-fronts
- carefulExercising caution and attention
- waryGuardedly alert
- circumspectCarefully considering consequences
- guardedWary and restrained
prudent · discreet · gingerly · measured · deliberate · tentative · watchful · conservative
Perpetually indecisive person
- wavererIndecisive person
- vacillatorOne who fluctuates
- procrastinatorOne who delays tasks
- dawdlerPerson who delays unnecessarily
foot-dragger · staller · delayer · faltering · indecisive · irresolute · tentative · wishy-washy
Meek, unassertive person
- mouseSmall gnawing mammal
- doormatEntry rug for wiping
- cowardPerson lacking bravery
- wimpTimid, feeble person
weakling · pushover · faintheart · scaredy-cat · meek · bashful · spineless · gutless
One who controls cunningly
- operatorOne who works machinery
- maneuvererOne who steers skillfully
- intriguerOne who schemes secretly
- plotterMachinator or diagram machine
strategist · conniver · wheeler-dealer · tactician · gamesman · fixer · wangler · finagler
hedger
One who avoids commitment
- dodgerOne who avoids
- equivocatorOne who speaks ambiguously
- wafflerOne who hesitates endlessly
prevaricator · fence-sitter · noncommittal · vague · ambiguous · oblique · circumlocutory · roundabout · sidestepper · avoider
tiptoe
Walk on foot-fronts
- carefulExercising caution and attention
- waryGuardedly alert
- circumspectCarefully considering consequences
guarded · prudent · discreet · gingerly · measured · deliberate · tentative · watchful · conservative · calculated
ditherer
Perpetually indecisive person
- wavererIndecisive person
- vacillatorOne who fluctuates
- procrastinatorOne who delays tasks
dawdler · foot-dragger · staller · delayer · faltering · indecisive · irresolute · tentative · wishy-washy · timewaster
milquetoast
Meek, unassertive person
wimp · weakling · pushover · faintheart · scaredy-cat · meek · bashful · spineless · gutless · lily-livered
manipulator
One who controls cunningly
- operatorOne who works machinery
- maneuvererOne who steers skillfully
- intriguerOne who schemes secretly
plotter · strategist · conniver · wheeler-dealer · tactician · gamesman · fixer · wangler · finagler · string-puller
pussyfootergo-getter
Ambitious, driven person
doer · mover and shaker · risk-taker · man of action · daredevil
pussyfoot, pussyfooting, pussyfooted, pussyfoots, pussyfooters