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
Around here, anticipation beats hesitation every single time.
—
John Laghezza,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
At the center of KeyBanc’s hesitation is Starship, the giant reusable rocket that Musk, the CEO, has described as critical to the future of satellite deployment, deep-space exploration and, eventually, colonization of Mars.
—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
LaGore further contextualizes current hesitation toward intermodal adoption within organizational memory and operational inertia.
—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Interactions intended to feel seamless create hesitation instead.
—
Patricia Camden,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
John Laghezza,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
At the center of KeyBanc’s hesitation is Starship, the giant reusable rocket that Musk, the CEO, has described as critical to the future of satellite deployment, deep-space exploration and, eventually, colonization of Mars.
—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
22 June 2026
LaGore further contextualizes current hesitation toward intermodal adoption within organizational memory and operational inertia.
—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Interactions intended to feel seamless create hesitation instead.
—
Patricia Camden,
Fortune,
20 June 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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Dexter grapples with killing her, but Rudy eventually can’t handle Dexter’s hesitance and takes the knife into his own hands—and nearly plunges it into Debra’s chest before Dexter stops him.
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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.
Noun
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Munster’s mosquito-spraying program is once again set to take flight Tuesday after a brief pause, the town announced.
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His health problems resembled a fall down a long flight of stairs, with pauses at several landings.
Noun
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But the heat has led to cancellations and delays in several states.
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The city commission reached a major step forward on the project after months of delays and disagreements over the best way to replace the old City Hall, which was damaged beyond repair by the historic flooding of April 2023.
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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