as in hesitancy
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
one moment's hesitation on my part, and the elusive butterfly was lost to me forever
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitation
Jake became Sai without hesitation.
—
Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Nerves, doubt, and hesitation are normal and expected at this point in the process.
—Jonathan Carone, Parents, 28 May 2026
Related Stories Speaking with Variety on Zoom from her apartment in New York City, Moafi shuts it down without hesitation.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 May 2026
Did Moss have any hesitations returning as June, and will June factor as much in the story for season two?
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Nerves, doubt, and hesitation are normal and expected at this point in the process.
—Jonathan Carone, Parents, 28 May 2026
Related Stories Speaking with Variety on Zoom from her apartment in New York City, Moafi shuts it down without hesitation.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 27 May 2026
Did Moss have any hesitations returning as June, and will June factor as much in the story for season two?
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
-
Another common problem for leaders is dealing with the pressure to innovate or the hesitancy to invest from the board.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
8 June 2026
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His hesitancy could undermine one of DeSantis’ key arguments to sway voters, particularly those in small counties, in favor of the amendment.—
Romy Ellenbogen Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Others, like Choi, believe that knowledge gaps are to blame for donor hesitance to get involved.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
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After a pause for the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, social hesitance was still evident and masks were incorporated into some of the night's designs.—
Luis Giraldo,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s top competitors, has proposed mechanisms for coordinating pauses on advanced AI development if systems become too powerful.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
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Located in the city's dynamic tech district, Whitefield, The Den Bengaluru seamlessly bridges heritage and innovation, offering an environment where guests can move seamlessly between focused work, casual connection, and moments of pause.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Sanfilippo is a fatal pediatric neurodegenerative disorder, with each delay in treatment equaling permanent neurological decline.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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Artemis program Due to the Mark 1 issues outlined above, there will either be significant delays to, or the need to restructure the early phases of, the Moon Base program.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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