as in ambivalent
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Dissimilar Words
as in faltering
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitating
Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Right now, Taylor said, both sides are hesitating.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Walgreens isn’t hesitating to close stores in parts of Chicago where theft is frequent and there are legitimate concerns about the safety of employees and customers.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Trump has criticized European countries for rejecting or hesitating to get involved in the war with Iran.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
The Names by Florence Knapp After a devastating storm, Cora brings her newborn son to be registered, hesitating when pressured to name him after her controlling husband.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Verb
The book does often feel like a recording of a mental jam session, but there is also a sense of being guided by a kind of hesitating yet urgent voice that needs to get things figured out.
—Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 June 2026
While their rivals started spending significant sums of money as soon as the 2024-25 season finished, Spurs wasted a couple of weeks hesitating about the long-term future of then head coach Ange Postecoglou before replacing him with Thomas Frank.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Right now, Taylor said, both sides are hesitating.
—Rachel Barber, USA Today, 8 May 2026
Walgreens isn’t hesitating to close stores in parts of Chicago where theft is frequent and there are legitimate concerns about the safety of employees and customers.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
Trump has criticized European countries for rejecting or hesitating to get involved in the war with Iran.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 17 Apr. 2026
The Academy seems comfortable celebrating individual excellence within horror while hesitating to crown its films as definitive achievements.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Palmer is the center of the film and building the cast around her initially had Riley hesitating.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026
The Names by Florence Knapp After a devastating storm, Cora brings her newborn son to be registered, hesitating when pressured to name him after her controlling husband.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitating
Adjective
-
Their attempts to destroy the bourgeois family were, like the efforts of Suzanna’s mother and grandmother, ambivalent and half-hearted.—
Julius Taranto,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
-
His sisters were less ambivalent.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Verb
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After faltering in last year’s Div.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
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But now, as the public understands the consequences of our faltering democracy, more people are talking about it, Drutman said.—
Mary Ellen Klas,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Bobcats’ shaky defense spotted USC two unearned runs.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The agreement is expected to extend the current shaky ceasefire that has been in place since early April, though both sides have accused the other of breaching it with continued strikes.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
Verb
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The House's effort to circumvent leadership on support for Ukraine comes as bipartisan legislation in the Senate to impose new economic sanctions on Russia has languished for more than a year, with senators waiting for a green light from the White House.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
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Congress could also intervene, Budington said, by passing legislation that allows a private right of action after data breaches, allowing victims to pursue cases directly instead of relying on state laws or waiting for state attorneys general to take up a case.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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This is the Alcaraz who is unbeatable, a man who cut out the vacillating streaks in his game that derailed him in Melbourne and Wimbledon.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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He was encouraged by his timing and sensed Miller might be wavering, especially after an errant pickoff throw put the go-ahead run 90 feet away.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
20 May 2026
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One night, Altman took an Ambien, only to be awakened by his husband, an Australian coder named Oliver Mulherin, who told him that Sutskever was wavering, and that people were telling Altman to speak with the board.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But, a series of random attacks that left two women dead and a man injured in Atlanta over the past few weeks have some locals on edge, and others wondering if the city is truly prepared to handle the safety of thousands of extra people.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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The vast majority of e-chucks are made of ceramic — hence Toto’s seemingly random decision to add them to its portfolio.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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That’s why some of their aimless enthusiasm around generative AI can feel so paradoxical and maddening.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
31 May 2026
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When there’s nothing in sight except open space, the feeling can be aimless.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitating. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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