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
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
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
Finally, Jim said that our hesitancy to sell is due to fear that the company will figure out how to solve its AI woes.
—
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
That hesitancy has never fully disappeared.
—Ken Toltz, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
His hesitancy has become a referendum.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
That hesitancy has never fully disappeared.
—Ken Toltz, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
His hesitancy has become a referendum.
—Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Jackson also participated in COVID-19 vaccination drives to battle hesitancy in Black communities.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitancy
Noun
-
And there was a lot of reluctance to do away with the rear screen.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
While historically, there’s been a reluctance among early investors to get into defense, that is now changing as a result of recent developments.—
Elsa Ohlen,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
First consulted via iPad about Gaby’s (Jessica Williams) hesitation to marry Derek, Paul ultimately flies back to Los Angeles to give Jimmy one final nudge in the direction of moving forward by reconnecting him with Sofi (Cobie Smulders).—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Some governments have had similar hesitations.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Shares of McCormick fell 6% in morning trading, while Unilever's stock down 4%, reflecting investors' hesitance about the mega-merger.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
-
That likely means there won’t be any hesitance by Stammen to use his higher-leverage relievers today and tomorrow.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday Ukraine is ready to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to Russia a pause in attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter holiday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Leon, in issuing the temporary pause, concluded that the preservationist group behind the legal challenge was likely to succeed because the president lacks the authority to build the ballroom without approval from Congress.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitancy. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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