hesitation
noun
hes·i·ta·tion
ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən 
1
: an act or instance of hesitating
2
: a pausing or faltering in speech
Synonyms
Examples of hesitation in a Sentence
one moment's hesitation on my part, and the elusive butterfly was lost to me forever
Recent Examples on the Web
The bouncing around in time hinders Holland’s ability to build a coherent portrait of Newton, as does the show’s nervous hesitation to delve into the real darkness in Newton’s biography.
—
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
Yet some city council members have expressed hesitation about spending millions of dollars on new shelters when San Diego’s budget deficit threatens other homelessness programs.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hesitation 
Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2024
Yet some city council members have expressed hesitation about spending millions of dollars on new shelters when San Diego’s budget deficit threatens other homelessness programs.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for hesitation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hesitation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hesitation
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitation. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
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