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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitation
During Kennedy’s confirmation process, Cassidy acknowledged his hesitations but wound up providing critical support for Kennedy.
—
Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
Vrabel was later asked if there was any hesitation to shake up the roster since this year’s squad has built a tight bond.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
Villa had known Elliott was available in the months before, yet the price caused hesitation.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
In the end, the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill is a solid little (mostly) smokeless grill for indoor spaces, and my only hesitation with recommending it for apartments would be its substantial footprint.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Aria Bendix, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
Vrabel was later asked if there was any hesitation to shake up the roster since this year’s squad has built a tight bond.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
Villa had known Elliott was available in the months before, yet the price caused hesitation.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
In the end, the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill is a solid little (mostly) smokeless grill for indoor spaces, and my only hesitation with recommending it for apartments would be its substantial footprint.
—Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
-
Wyatt gave Minnie some distance, which made sense after Kylie spoke about her eldest daughter’s hesitancy around characters at the theme park.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Liberty’s own hesitancy to committing is based on her past as well as her day-to-day dealing with [divorce] clients.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The judge continued to echo his hesitance following the reveal and shared an Instagram Stories post posing the question for fans.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Now, there is some reason for hesitance here, mainly because Raymond could be playing with a rotating cast on his line’s left wing this season.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Tampa Bay’s defeat to New England gave the exec some pause on the Buccaneers, while the injury situation in San Francisco seems too much to overcome.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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After a Boston appeals court ruled late Friday to not immediately intervene, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a ruling pausing the requirement to distribute full SNAP payments until the appeals court rules on whether to issue a more lasting pause, the Associated Press said.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Flyers should try to mitigate any headaches from delays and cancellations by avoiding booking flights with layovers, the non-profit US Public Interest Research Group says, and opt to make reservations directly with the airline rather than a third-party website.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Carriers are required to refund customers whose flights are canceled but not to cover costs such as food and hotels unless a delay or cancellation results from a factor within the control of the airlines, according to the Department of Transportation.—
JOSH FUNK,
Arkansas Online,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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