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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitancy
However, all three rookies struggled with efficiency, shooting 30.4% or worse from the field — Wolf at 27.3% — and showed hesitancy in taking 3-point shots.
—
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 22 July 2025
Goodrem told Stellar magazine about her hesitancy to share their big announcement.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 10 July 2025
But despite travelers’ hesitancy, some South Floridians with deep connections to the country say now is an important time to go.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
Diaz’s weird positioning and Vazquez’s hesitancy allow Lodi and Al-Dawsari to combine…
… before the left winger sets up Marcos Leonardo, but the centre-forward misses the target.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 22 July 2025
Goodrem told Stellar magazine about her hesitancy to share their big announcement.
—Rachel Flynn, People.com, 10 July 2025
But despite travelers’ hesitancy, some South Floridians with deep connections to the country say now is an important time to go.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
Diaz’s weird positioning and Vazquez’s hesitancy allow Lodi and Al-Dawsari to combine…
… before the left winger sets up Marcos Leonardo, but the centre-forward misses the target.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitancy
Noun
-
An October 2022 report by Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office revealed numerous complaints coupled with banks’ apparent reluctance to address them, reimburse victims or boot fraudsters from the platform.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
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Germans are worried about many issues, including tariffs and the economy, but their genuine reluctance to rebuild a strong military and assume leadership in Europe was a palpable theme in our meetings.—
Susan Greene Pallot,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But with the integration of AI comes hesitation and fears of job loss, privacy breaches and misinformation.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
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This cycle converts hesitation into purchase and builds loyalty, all without human intervention.—
Charisma Glassman,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This hesitance is due to a shortage of anesthesiologists in some areas, unregulated costs of the procedure, and lingering misconceptions about possible side effects, according to experts cited by China Daily.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 June 2025
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Since many experts predict a recession in the near future, this only stokes the fear of loss further when the hesitance is high to begin with.—
Tim Koller,
Time,
20 May 2025
Noun
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The pause will not impact already existing valid visas, according to the memo, and some applications — including official and C-3 diplomatic visas — will continue to be processed.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Trim Non-Customer-Facing Costs Start by trimming non-customer-facing costs, including rent and travel, and pause hiring.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitancy. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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