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
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
Asked if this was a statement game, Dahlin hesitated.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
While competitors hesitated, Tesla built data depth and operational learning that now underpin its long-term advantage.
—Matthew C. Meade, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Crew members hesitated, unsure how to navigate the transition.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 20 Jan. 2026
Republicans who haven’t hesitated in breaking with their party show no signs of changing their strategy, posing a challenge for Johnson.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026
As investors watched closely, even Republicans who hesitated to condemn the probe were careful to extol the virtues of an independent central bank.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
The insider says Richie never hesitated to leave his residences in California or Hawaii at a moment’s notice to return to New Jersey.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The woman hesitated at first but then let Sylvain into her apartment.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Lia Assimakopoulos
dallas Stars, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
Asked if this was a statement game, Dahlin hesitated.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
While competitors hesitated, Tesla built data depth and operational learning that now underpin its long-term advantage.
—Matthew C. Meade, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Crew members hesitated, unsure how to navigate the transition.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 20 Jan. 2026
Republicans who haven’t hesitated in breaking with their party show no signs of changing their strategy, posing a challenge for Johnson.
—Sudiksha Kochi, The Hill, 13 Jan. 2026
As investors watched closely, even Republicans who hesitated to condemn the probe were careful to extol the virtues of an independent central bank.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
The insider says Richie never hesitated to leave his residences in California or Hawaii at a moment’s notice to return to New Jersey.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
The woman hesitated at first but then let Sylvain into her apartment.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitated
Verb
-
And it’s directed by Karim Aïnouz, a Brazilian director who once made the heated, moving dramas Madame Satan and The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão but in recent years has faltered with works like the disastrous Firebrand and the atmospheric but tedious Motel Destino.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The experience is reminiscent of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, when another heavy favorite for gold, Nathan Chen, faltered in the short program of the men’s event and finished 17th.—
Alice Park,
Time,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Qasem Awad has waited for more than a year for his son’s killer to be brought to justice.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
After Harvey, communities waited years for recovery funds while the feds flagged problems with how Texas managed the money.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitated. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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