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
That could indicate a hesitance to cut rates because lower rates can give inflation more fuel.
—
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
This is partly a reflection of the collapse of studio interest in newsy documentaries as well as hesitance around a movie that condemns Israeli policies.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed hesitance to focus on a DOGE dividend rather than lowering the national deficit or expanding tax cuts, according to Forbes.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 12 Mar. 2025
Seeing the toll these illnesses can have on patients, some countries experience less hesitance with vaccination than the US does, according to experts.
—Neha Mukherjee, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
This is partly a reflection of the collapse of studio interest in newsy documentaries as well as hesitance around a movie that condemns Israeli policies.
—Marc Tracy, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Some Republican lawmakers have expressed hesitance to focus on a DOGE dividend rather than lowering the national deficit or expanding tax cuts, according to Forbes.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 12 Mar. 2025
Seeing the toll these illnesses can have on patients, some countries experience less hesitance with vaccination than the US does, according to experts.
—Neha Mukherjee, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
-
His unwise challenge of an Evander Kane goal in Game 3 started the deluge, and the combination of his reluctance to use the guys at the end of his bench and a prevent defense mentality certainly didn’t help as the Oilers consistently outplayed the Kings in the third period and beyond.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
10 May 2025
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Something that continues to concern Penn, known for his stellar performances in films such as Milk, Mystic River, Taps, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, is the current threats to journalism and the media and some’s reluctance or fear to speak truth to power.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
Noun
-
As the fintech industry recalibrates—shifting from growth-at-all-costs to sustainable, focused models—leaders like Ferris are proving that clarity beats chaos, and conviction beats hesitation.—
Nicole Casperson,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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Part of the hesitation expressed by business centers on understanding how the tariffs will affect consumers’ view of the economy.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
But a broader cultural hesitancy about the technology’s implications meant that, once OpenAI made its breakthrough, Altman—its C.E.O.—came to be seen not only as a fiduciary steward but also as an ethical one.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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Many of their star performers were overworked, in part due to poor feedback loops with leadership, lack of strong team communication and an overall hesitancy to name workload imbalances.—
Woodrie Burich,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
Noun
-
Then, the White House announced that the U.S. and China have agreed to a 90 day pause in their trade war.—
David Hebert,
National Review,
16 May 2025
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However, since then, Donald Trump has initiated a 90-day pause in the U.S.-China tariff conflict, reducing U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China has lowered its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports from 125% to 10% .—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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