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
Sensing hesitance as well as incompetence, coaches and players alike tried to sway the flailing fill-ins at every turn.
—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Some supporters of the Wide Awakes’ rebirth have expressed hesitance about its aesthetics, especially the optics of torch-wielding vigilantes marching through the streets.
—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
Management’s choice to uphold full-year guidance for 5% revenue growth and $1 billion in additional free cash flow, even after the positive performance, indicates internal hesitance regarding the sustainability of hardware.
—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2026
The hesitance that some people expressed was not based on a fear of exposure to the coronavirus.
—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Some supporters of the Wide Awakes’ rebirth have expressed hesitance about its aesthetics, especially the optics of torch-wielding vigilantes marching through the streets.
—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
Management’s choice to uphold full-year guidance for 5% revenue growth and $1 billion in additional free cash flow, even after the positive performance, indicates internal hesitance regarding the sustainability of hardware.
—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2026
The hesitance that some people expressed was not based on a fear of exposure to the coronavirus.
—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
-
Experts say that's probably an undercount, given immigrants’ reluctance to come forward.
-
Experts say that’s probably an undercount, given immigrants’ reluctance to come forward.
Noun
-
When Miller unleashed another slider, Suzuki showed no hesitation.
-
That hesitation becomes stronger when the candidate frames the pivot as a weakness.
Noun
-
Part of it is a hesitancy to trade veterans on expiring contracts (prior to this season’s trades with Buffalo) to get picks back.
-
Another common problem for leaders is dealing with the pressure to innovate or the hesitancy to invest from the board.
Noun
-
Munster’s mosquito-spraying program is once again set to take flight Tuesday after a brief pause, the town announced.
-
His health problems resembled a fall down a long flight of stairs, with pauses at several landings.
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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