1
as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
his appointment to the superintendency was confirmed by the school board without the least hesitancy
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
his hesitancy in pulling over into the next lane while he had a chance resulted in him missing his exit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitancy
Now on the Democratic side, at least when this began, there was hesitancy from Democrats, even about Newsom’s idea of fighting fire with fire.
—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Cutting that research doesn’t make hesitancy disappear.
—
A.j. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
The decline in vitamin K uptake is still believed to be related to vaccine and medicine hesitancy, according to both the JAMA study and ProPublica investigation.
—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
This hesitancy and worry about speaking up is the way free speech dies.
—
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
Cutting that research doesn’t make hesitancy disappear.
—
A.j. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
The decline in vitamin K uptake is still believed to be related to vaccine and medicine hesitancy, according to both the JAMA study and ProPublica investigation.
—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
This hesitancy and worry about speaking up is the way free speech dies.
—
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitancy
Noun
-
Experts say that's probably an undercount, given immigrants’ reluctance to come forward.
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Experts say that’s probably an undercount, given immigrants’ reluctance to come forward.
Noun
-
When Miller unleashed another slider, Suzuki showed no hesitation.
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That hesitation becomes stronger when the candidate frames the pivot as a weakness.
Noun
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That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.
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Others, like Choi, believe that knowledge gaps are to blame for donor hesitance to get involved.
Noun
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Munster’s mosquito-spraying program is once again set to take flight Tuesday after a brief pause, the town announced.
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His health problems resembled a fall down a long flight of stairs, with pauses at several landings.
Cite this Entry
“Hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitancy. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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