Synonyms of hesitates

hesitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of hesitate

as in falters

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• falters
• waits
• pauses
• vacillates
• dithers
• wavers
• staggers
• halts
• debates
• scruples
• hangs back
• sways
• wobbles
• ponders
• teeters
• balances
• lingers
• procrastinates
• dawdles
• deliberates
• delays
• weighs
• haws
• shilly-shallies
• considers
• equivocates
• oscillates
• hems
• chickens (out)
• dallies
• backs down
• hedges
• waffles
• pussyfoots

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decides
• dives (in)
• plunges (in)
• continues
• stirs
• advances
• budges

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hesitates

If someone hesitates, gently restate the goal and offer one reasonable option while staying loyal to your own needs. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026

In Spearfish, Yu hesitates over a set of cow grates and dumps her bike at low velocity. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026

Hassan hesitates over an undercooked backpass, Haaland smells blood, and Iraq are toast. — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 24 June 2026

Yet the same board that will fund AI transformation, wellness apps, psychometrics, dashboards and catered offsites often still hesitates to fund serious executive coaching for the people making the highest-risk decisions in the company. — Bydr. Corrie Block, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

And yet, even after years of success in other projects like Scooby-Doo, Scream 2, and Cruel Intentions, Gellar still hesitates when splurging on expensive items. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 June 2026

Passengers swear and cry in multiple languages; at Gracie Mansion, an unpopular mayor hesitates to address the public for fear of being booed. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

If someone hesitates, keep spirits up and adjust the route without losing the goal, then genuinely celebrate small wins. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026

His grandson, Jack Schlossberg, who is running for Congress, never hesitates to remind audiences of his lineage. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026