hesitation
noun
hes·i·ta·tion
ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən 
1
: an act or instance of hesitating
A moment's hesitation could have meant disaster.
I would do it again without hesitation.>
2
: a pausing or faltering in speech
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
What To Know Jeffries' endorsement of Mamdani for New York City mayor comes months of internal party pressure and strategic hesitation.
—
Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Villa had known Elliott was available in the months before, yet the price caused hesitation.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
In the end, the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill is a solid little (mostly) smokeless grill for indoor spaces, and my only hesitation with recommending it for apartments would be its substantial footprint.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2025
Jeremy Allen White has spoken about his initial hesitation to take the role given his lack of experience singing and playing guitar.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
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Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Villa had known Elliott was available in the months before, yet the price caused hesitation.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
In the end, the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill is a solid little (mostly) smokeless grill for indoor spaces, and my only hesitation with recommending it for apartments would be its substantial footprint.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2025
Jeremy Allen White has spoken about his initial hesitation to take the role given his lack of experience singing and playing guitar.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitation. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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