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
Relevance
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 hesitation
Hyundai actually recommends a fuel additive every 2000 miles due to carbon build up which can cause hesitation and poor performance.
—
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026
Mintyukov’s hesitation at the blue line sent Armia off on a shorthanded breakaway, resulting in a backhand that was narrowly saved by Dostál.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
The survey, however, found hesitation among both Republicans and Democrats over the prospect of military action in Greenland — with 60 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of Democrats expressing disapproval.
—Sophie Brams, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
Neubauer's hesitation to grant any further extensions was based on two factors that raised doubts about Brooks' claims.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 Jan. 2026
Mintyukov’s hesitation at the blue line sent Armia off on a shorthanded breakaway, resulting in a backhand that was narrowly saved by Dostál.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 17 Jan. 2026
The survey, however, found hesitation among both Republicans and Democrats over the prospect of military action in Greenland — with 60 percent of Republicans and 89 percent of Democrats expressing disapproval.
—Sophie Brams, The Hill, 14 Jan. 2026
Neubauer's hesitation to grant any further extensions was based on two factors that raised doubts about Brooks' claims.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 13 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
-
There are plenty of directions the franchise could go, but a hesitancy to commit to anything more than one-off stories.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Big money’s hesitancy Wall Street hasn’t jumped on board with the same fervor as the average Joe.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
But the unwillingness to even take them, the same hesitance that Nance and most others believed was in the past, is hurting his overall game.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
After a little practice breathing through the tube and getting past her initial hesitance, Jenner puts her face into the water, and comes back up immediately, her hair stuck to her skin.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The White House didn't immediately respond to a query seeking clarity about the scope and timing of any limited pause.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
As the officers back away from Pretti, there’s a pause in shooting that lasts just under a second, according to an analysis of the shooting audio by Robert Maher, an audio forensic expert at Montana State University.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Bridgerton season four wisely ditches the blackmail and delays Bridgerton’s indecent proposal.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Originally supposed to fly Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight, but payload switched to an inert mass simulator because of potential Dream Chaser delays beyond October launch date.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
