as in ambivalent
Related Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hesitating
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
Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
However, if large enterprises are hesitating to commit and implement, that’s a broader industry headwind impacting everyone, not just SAP.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The appeals court, however, said staying the injunction serves the public interest by preventing federal agents from hesitating while carrying out lawful duties.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Although police still can use less-lethal weapons to contain unruly demonstrators, the city claimed the rules put officers at risk of hesitating in chaotic situations.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Survey respondents shared multiple ways that unemployment can have a negative impact including cancelling dates for financial reasons and hesitating to even ask someone out at all.
—Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
Igor Jesus fluffed his lines when Omari Hutchinson sent him through on goal, hesitating too long and allowing Virgil van Dijk to snatch the ball.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
However, if large enterprises are hesitating to commit and implement, that’s a broader industry headwind impacting everyone, not just SAP.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The appeals court, however, said staying the injunction serves the public interest by preventing federal agents from hesitating while carrying out lawful duties.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Although police still can use less-lethal weapons to contain unruly demonstrators, the city claimed the rules put officers at risk of hesitating in chaotic situations.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
Survey respondents shared multiple ways that unemployment can have a negative impact including cancelling dates for financial reasons and hesitating to even ask someone out at all.
—Gili Malinsky, CNBC, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitating
Adjective
-
This ambivalent speech is contrasted with the severe consequences of AI when Steyerl interviews an Iraqi journalist who was the subject of a drone attack, along with two colleagues who did not survive.—
Shanti Escalante-De Mattei,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But nutritionists have been ambivalent about the dangers of eating eggs.—
Jeffrey Steingarten,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dubai, in particular, finds its position as the crown jewel of Middle East’s tourism faltering as its airports have been forced to shut temporarily during the conflict.—
Sydney Goh,
CNBC,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Tatum’s injury was supposed to be a big reason the conference was so wide-open, along with the Indiana Pacers faltering because of Tyrese Haliburton’s own Achilles injury.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The early returns were shaky, but with some adjustments — and with some time — Brown has brought the best version of his All-Star center to the floor.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
One possibility is that the ceasefire lasts only two weeks, is shaky throughout – as seen with Israel’s bombing of Lebanon after the ceasefire was declared – and war resumes.—
Donald Heflin,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the ambulance bay at Elmhurst Hospital, Fire Department emergency workers were waiting for calls.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Even so, companies such as Filatex have already cut production by 25% and are waiting for demand to return.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Music is the focal point of each service, with Jeffrey playing guitar and keyboards behind the curtain, singing in a wavering voice reminiscent of Jeff Mangum about the subjects, ideas and feelings that have occupied his mind at various stages of his life.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Recent poll results shared at a Tuesday night hearing showed 55% of those in a random sample were favorable to a mill levy override.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
No doubt, this isn’t some random list, these three players remaining on the roster when so many others were dumped overboard.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Long aimless drives opened up my small teenage world.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Trump’s goal is to distract you from rising gas prices, his aimless war, ICE abuses, and the Epstein files.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitating. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
