hesitate

verb

hes·​i·​tate ˈhe-zə-ˌtāt 

hesitated; hesitating

intransitive verb

1

: to hold back in doubt or indecision

She didn't hesitate when they offered her the job.

2

: to delay momentarily : pause

He hesitated and waited for her to say something.

3

: stammer

transitive verb

: to hold back from (doing or saying something) in doubt or uncertainty

Don't hesitate to call if you need something.

hesitater noun

hesitatingly

ˈhe-zə-ˌtā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• balance
• dither
• falter
• halt
• hang back
• scruple
• shilly-shally
• stagger
• teeter
• vacillate
• waver
• wobble
• wabble

Choose the Right Synonym for hesitate

hesitate, waver, vacillate, falter mean to show irresolution or uncertainty.

hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

Examples of hesitate in a Sentence

She hesitated and waited for her friend to say something.

He hesitated about accepting the job.

I sometimes hesitate to say what I am really thinking.

I hesitated to come without being asked.

I wouldn't hesitate to ask for your help if I felt I needed it.

Don't hesitate to call if there is a problem.

Recent Examples on the Web

Without more rigorous studies, medical practitioners hesitate to incorporate it into their practice. —Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024

If the government casts doubt on the reliability of these patents, firms will hesitate to license and develop early-stage research. —Andrei Iancu, Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2024

Here’s to the week ahead, and don’t hesitate to reach out with comments, questions, feedback, and pet tech IPOs. —Susan Howson, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024

And Trump would almost certainly not hesitate to use the levers of government against anyone who opposed him. —Jonathan Mahler Edoardo Ballerini Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024

While many companies have excelled at adapting to the changing landscape, some are still hesitating. —Hilary Tetenabaum, USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024

Amanda Fry, who was ringing up cappuccinos and croissants at the counter, didn’t hesitate. —Joe Rubin, Sacramento Bee, 5 Apr. 2024

Experiment with each approach to see what resonates most with you and don’t hesitate to adapt them to suit your unique needs and preferences. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024

Don’t hesitate to experiment with different hues to see what makes your complexion glow and your eyeglasses a perfect match. —William Mullane, Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin haesitatus, past participle of haesitare to stick fast, hesitate, frequentative of haerēre to stick

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

hesitate

verb

hes·​i·​tate ˈhez-ə-ˌtāt 

hesitated; hesitating

1

: to stop or pause because of uncertainty or indecision

hesitate before answering

2

: to be unwilling

hesitate to ask a favor

3

: stammer entry 1

hesitater noun

hesitatingly

-ˌtāt-iŋ-lē 

adverb

hesitation

ˌhez-ə-ˈtā-shən

noun