as in faltered
to show uncertainty about the right course of action
I didn't hesitate to tell them that what they were doing was wrong and that I wanted no part of it
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Recent Examples of hesitated
From coordinating painting, flooring and cabinet removal to troubleshooting daily obstacles during the summer, Higman answered every call, provided solutions and never hesitated to step in, according to Filamor.
—
Cyril A. Reinicke, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Allies, too, have hesitated to turn to force to reopen the strait.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
But for the most part, Knight hesitated to kill his darlings.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The striker hesitated and allowed Trevoh Chalobah to tackle.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
That's over twice the value of gold from just one year ago, and now investors who once hesitated to buy gold are weighing whether the opportunity has already passed — or whether the metal still has room to run.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Then the Canadian hesitated, ever so slightly.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
Jackson hesitated — the job required him to leave the seminary six months short of graduation.
—Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Even then, his father, Chris Oettinger, hesitated to believe his Olympic dreams would become a reality — until the roster was announced last month.
—Lia Assimakopoulos
dallas Stars, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
Cyril A. Reinicke, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
Allies, too, have hesitated to turn to force to reopen the strait.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2026
But for the most part, Knight hesitated to kill his darlings.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The striker hesitated and allowed Trevoh Chalobah to tackle.
—Simon Johnson, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
That's over twice the value of gold from just one year ago, and now investors who once hesitated to buy gold are weighing whether the opportunity has already passed — or whether the metal still has room to run.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Then the Canadian hesitated, ever so slightly.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
Jackson hesitated — the job required him to leave the seminary six months short of graduation.
—Johanna Neuman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Even then, his father, Chris Oettinger, hesitated to believe his Olympic dreams would become a reality — until the roster was announced last month.
—Lia Assimakopoulos
dallas Stars, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitated
Verb
-
Washington led 111-106 with 6 1/2 minutes remaining, but the Wizards defense faltered after that.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Fland’s defense — his calling card — faltered on the decisive play.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the morning, lines were long, but not as long as on other days this weekend, when passengers waited four or five hours just to get through security.—
Tara Lynch,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
More patient, the Reds waited until the bottom of the sixth to request a challenge, and proceeded to go a perfect 6 for 6 before the end of regulation.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitated. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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