1
as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
sales figures for the month were up, as consumers began to overcome their hesitance about purchasing big-ticket items
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
she mistook my hesitance to mean I didn't like her poem, but I was trying to come up with appropriate words of praise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitance
The judge continued to echo his hesitance following the reveal and shared an Instagram Stories post posing the question for fans.
—
Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Trump has taken distinct interest in influencing the Fed, repeatedly criticizing Chair Jerome Powell over his hesitance to back lowering interest rates.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 2 Oct. 2025
Chatter in the market revolved around the reasons for the downturn – rising competition from streaming platforms, consumer belt-tightening and hesitance on the part of investors and studios – as well as possible solutions.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Shares have remained relatively stable, affected by investor hesitance regarding China’s steel demand and ongoing worries about Brazil's regulatory landscape.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Trump has taken distinct interest in influencing the Fed, repeatedly criticizing Chair Jerome Powell over his hesitance to back lowering interest rates.
—Jared Gans, The Hill, 2 Oct. 2025
Chatter in the market revolved around the reasons for the downturn – rising competition from streaming platforms, consumer belt-tightening and hesitance on the part of investors and studios – as well as possible solutions.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Shares have remained relatively stable, affected by investor hesitance regarding China’s steel demand and ongoing worries about Brazil's regulatory landscape.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
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Besides the reluctance of many people to share their own DNA profile for investigations, the success rate also depends on people’s willingness to have their DNA catalogued at all.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Justine MacNeil, the pastry chef and co-owner of Fiore, also sees that reluctance to change.—
Chris Morocco,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In rap’s gladiator arena, there’s no grace for hesitation, and that hesitation defined Cole’s involvement in the clash of the century.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
19 Feb. 2026
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Among those emails are unsent drafts, abandoned because of distraction or hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
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And every one of us has moments of hiding, fear, doubt, and hesitancy.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But invading the second biggest country in Europe, after Russia itself, would be a potentially catastrophic prospect which would, surely, give a cold strategist like Putin pause for thought.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Mother Nature is about to put the recent spring-like warmth across Central Texas on pause this weekend.—
Mary Wasson,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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