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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitance
Their hesitance comes in the wake of executive orders targeting some of the country’s most powerful law firms, which have split between fighting the orders and compliance agreements.
—
Lluvia Gaucin, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
Damar Hamlin’s hesitance in coverage again showed why the Bills are looking at him as more of a backup role, but now their other depth safety options in Hancock and Lewis are injured.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Farmer said feelings of shame can contribute to caregivers’ hesitance to discuss suicidal thoughts.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 29 July 2025
While there might be some hesitance from prospective donors worried about a possible economic recession, for the most part, the district has seen contributions increase.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Lluvia Gaucin, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
Damar Hamlin’s hesitance in coverage again showed why the Bills are looking at him as more of a backup role, but now their other depth safety options in Hancock and Lewis are injured.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Farmer said feelings of shame can contribute to caregivers’ hesitance to discuss suicidal thoughts.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 29 July 2025
While there might be some hesitance from prospective donors worried about a possible economic recession, for the most part, the district has seen contributions increase.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
-
Added to this natural reluctance, competition between institutions has subverted collaboration to increase net welfare.—
David G.W. Birch,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This decision reflects a broader reluctance to empower oversight even in the face of rising public demand for transparency and accountability.—
Hansel Alejandro Aguilar,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And if a player is Premier League-proven, there is also less hesitation to pay big sums of money to other domestic clubs.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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Now ready for pre-sale, the Sync Oven and Sync Air Fryer exemplify an idea beyond a kitchen tool, one that replaces hesitation with clarity and guesswork with certainty.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That could alleviate some of the problems, including hesitancy that some pharmacists and doctors have because of the changing rules and confusion.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
-
If there was any hesitancy about embracing a comedian with no filter, Notre Dame is now in on the joke.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This pause led to a more strategic decision that ultimately benefited the company.—
Naz Beheshti,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Job hopping has hit a pause as employees who might have left their companies previously are no longer able to find higher wages, according to a recent report from Bank of America.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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