hesitance

noun

hes·​i·​tance ˈhe-zə-tən(t)s How to pronounce hesitance (audio)

Examples of hesitance in a Sentence

sales figures for the month were up, as consumers began to overcome their hesitance about purchasing big-ticket items she mistook my hesitance to mean I didn't like her poem, but I was trying to come up with appropriate words of praise
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Though the party may not explicitly endorse such behaviors, its hesitance to denounce them outright can be perceived as tacit approval, alienating voters who value law and order. Nafees Alam, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2025 This is partly a reflection of the collapse of studio interest in newsy documentaries as well as hesitance around a movie that condemns Israeli policies. Marc Tracy, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025 Seeing the toll these illnesses can have on patients, some countries experience less hesitance with vaccination than the US does, according to experts. Neha Mukherjee, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025 Boomers are more likely to emphasize resilience, self-reliance, and the belief that personal struggles should be handled privately, that seeking help is a weakness, resulting in a hesitance to seek external support like therapy. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hesitance

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hesitance was in 1601

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Cite this Entry

“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitance. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

hesitance

noun
hes·​i·​tance ˈhez-ə-tən(t)s How to pronounce hesitance (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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