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
To eliminate any hesitation about buying ahead of the official rush, HBADA is backing all purchases during this lead-up phase with a strict Price Match Guarantee.
—
New Atlas,
19 June 2026
Without hesitation, Roldan credits those memories as the impetus of his love for soccer —and ultimately, his and his two brothers' professional Major League Soccer careers.
—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
19 June 2026
The two had a history, working together for two years in Philadelphia, and Tortorella declared Hart his No. 1 goalie without hesitation.
—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
Nerves, doubt, and hesitation are normal and expected at this point in the process.
—
Jonathan Carone,
Parents,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
New Atlas,
19 June 2026
Without hesitation, Roldan credits those memories as the impetus of his love for soccer —and ultimately, his and his two brothers' professional Major League Soccer careers.
—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
19 June 2026
The two had a history, working together for two years in Philadelphia, and Tortorella declared Hart his No. 1 goalie without hesitation.
—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
Nerves, doubt, and hesitation are normal and expected at this point in the process.
—
Jonathan Carone,
Parents,
28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
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Part of it is a hesitancy to trade veterans on expiring contracts (prior to this season’s trades with Buffalo) to get picks back.
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Another common problem for leaders is dealing with the pressure to innovate or the hesitancy to invest from the board.
Noun
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That hesitance in the Republican Party coexists with palpable relief that there’s a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East after months of strikes on Iran.
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Others, like Choi, believe that knowledge gaps are to blame for donor hesitance to get involved.
Noun
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As a result, the world’s energy needs went on pause as oil and gas could not flow freely through this critical area.
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In the third round, Magomedov poked Pereira in the eye, forcing a roughly two-minute pause, and still no point came off.
Noun
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Earlier, near the Simon Bolivar International Airport — an area also heavily impacted by the quakes — residents complained of delays in resuming rescue operations.
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After having seen clients with months of delays, recently Akimoto has some clients who filed to renew their DACA protection in April and May and got their approvals within six weeks.
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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