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

Synonyms of hesitation

• hesitancy
• hesitance
• pause
• delay

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

Duffy and Campos-Duffy express hesitations about her potentially attending Harvard due to their Catholic beliefs. — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026

Founders will notice hesitation, enthusiasm, chemistry, confidence, uncertainty, who’s influencing the room, whether the customer is actually excited. — Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Those deeper motivations influence which information feels credible, what creates hesitation, and what gives a person enough confidence to move forward. — Connie Etemadi, Freep.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Returns continue to erode margins across the industry, with fit and sizing consistently cited as the primary driver of purchase hesitation and post-purchase dissatisfaction. — Footwear News, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hesitation

• without hesitation

Rhymes for hesitation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation