hesitant

adjective

hes·​i·​tant ˈhe-zə-tənt 

: slow to act or proceed (as from fear, indecision, or unwillingness) : tending to hesitate : showing or feeling reluctance or hesitation

took a hesitant step towards the door

hesitant about accepting the job

hesitantly adverb

Synonyms of hesitant

• reluctant

Choose the Right Synonym for hesitant

disinclined, hesitant, reluctant, loath, averse mean lacking the will or desire to do something indicated.

disinclined implies lack of taste for or inclination.

disinclined to move again

disinclined for reading

hesitant implies a holding back especially through fear or uncertainty.

hesitant about asking for a date

reluctant implies a holding back through unwillingness.

a reluctant witness

loath implies hesitancy because of conflict with one's opinions, predilections, or liking.

seems loath to trust anyone

averse implies a holding back from or avoiding because of distaste or repugnance.

averse to hard work

not averse to an occasional drink

Examples of hesitant in a Sentence

She took a hesitant step back from the door.

He seems hesitant about accepting the job.

Recent Examples on the Web

While Council members expressed sympathy towardf those who have been impacted by recent federal immigration action, some members were hesitant to pursue such an ordinance, fearing that the legislation would give residents a false sense of security. —Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026

Private investors could be hesitant to put billions into an industry that relies so heavily on the whims of whomever is in the White House, said Arne Jacobson, director of the Schatz Energy Research Center at California State Polytechnic University in Humboldt. —Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026

That dynamic now appears to be fading, with retail investors increasingly hesitant to add exposure, even during improving market conditions. —Yun Li, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026

Artists are often secretive creatures, hesitant to disclose too much, and none more so than Marcel Duchamp, who spun slipperiness into an art form. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see hesitate

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hesitant

• vaccine-hesitant

Kids Definition

hesitant

adjective

hes·​i·​tant ˈhez-ə-tənt 

: tending to hesitate : slow to act or proceed

hesitantly adverb