The verb to waffle means to avoid making a clear decision by talking in a vague, uncertain way. When someone waffles, they keep changing their position or speaking in circles without actually committing to anything definite. Imagine asking your friend which movie they want to see, and they respond with “Well, I kind of like action movies, but comedies are good too, and I guess we could see that new one, or maybe not...” Instead of just picking something, they're waffling.

Politicians sometimes waffle when reporters ask them tough questions. Rather than giving a straight answer, they might talk around the issue, mentioning both sides without taking a clear position. Teachers can usually tell when a student is waffling on an essay question they didn't study for: lots of words, but no real answer.

When someone tells you to stop waffling, they're asking you to be direct and make up your mind.

Separately, a waffle is also a breakfast food: a crispy, gridded cake with square pockets perfect for holding syrup and butter, cooked in a special waffle iron that presses the pattern into the batter.