What does It Mean to ‘be On the Fence’?

To be on the fence means to be undecided; to refuse to commit to any of the two options.

A fence is a barrier that serves to enclose an area. It is a boundary between two properties. The two sides of the fence signify two choices. Picture a person sitting on the fence with one leg on each side. He is undecided as to which way he should go.

Thus, to sit on the fence means to be undecided; to be uncommitted, or neutral.

Let’s see an example —

A — Are you going to her wedding?

B — I don’t know*, I am still on the fence.

Means I haven’t decided yet.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.