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
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.
Recent Examples of hesitance
Still, there is a hesitance to accept psychedelics in the psychiatric community.
—
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 20 June 2025
Several major automakers are investing billions of dollars into American EV production despite the U.S. hesitance to adopt EVs.
—Charles Singh, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Despite hesitance from some Republican senators, all of Trump’s nominees who have come for a vote on the floor have been confirmed, even his most contentious picks.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 29 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 20 June 2025
Several major automakers are investing billions of dollars into American EV production despite the U.S. hesitance to adopt EVs.
—Charles Singh, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Despite hesitance from some Republican senators, all of Trump’s nominees who have come for a vote on the floor have been confirmed, even his most contentious picks.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 29 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
-
An October 2022 report by Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office revealed numerous complaints coupled with banks’ apparent reluctance to address them, reimburse victims or boot fraudsters from the platform.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Germans are worried about many issues, including tariffs and the economy, but their genuine reluctance to rebuild a strong military and assume leadership in Europe was a palpable theme in our meetings.—
Susan Greene Pallot,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But with the integration of AI comes hesitation and fears of job loss, privacy breaches and misinformation.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
-
This cycle converts hesitation into purchase and builds loyalty, all without human intervention.—
Charisma Glassman,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But new listings were down also, a sign of seller hesitancy and the end of the peak summer selling season.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The hesitancy from his end will probably come from a lack of playing time.—
Tom Rende,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
The pause will not impact already existing valid visas, according to the memo, and some applications — including official and C-3 diplomatic visas — will continue to be processed.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Trim Non-Customer-Facing Costs Start by trimming non-customer-facing costs, including rent and travel, and pause hiring.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share