Synonyms of hesitation

hesitation

noun

ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən 

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

• hesitancy
• hesitance
• pause
• delay
• indecision
• vacillation
• uncertainty
• irresolution
• deliberation
• wavering
• faltering
• doubt
• wobbling
• waiting
• reluctance
• fence-sitting
• shilly-shallying
• shilly-shally
• consideration
• procrastination
• debate
• indecisiveness
• second thought
• hawing
• misgiving
• incertitude
• avoidance
• indetermination
• unwillingness
• timidity
• equivocation
• arrière-pensée
• indisposition
• faintheartedness
• disinclination
• shyness
• uncertainness
• timidness
• aversion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confidence
• determination
• resolution
• certainty
• firmness
• certitude
• readiness
• eagerness
• decisiveness
• sureness
• alacrity
• resoluteness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hesitation

Someone may be ready to build with you, but hesitation, mixed signals, or too many moving pieces could slow the process down. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026

Woodley also joked about her longstanding hesitation around discussing the franchise, even more than a decade after the movie’s release. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026

But the full game tape shows those are few and far between — his hesitation and questionable decisions make the lowlights a near-constant. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2026

My hesitation stemmed from learning that the Brooklyn Can’t Wait coalition’s majority was propped up by the election of Carmella Charrington, an unapologetic antisemite. — Doug Schneider, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026