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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Recent Examples of hesitation
On the ground, first responders described how Watch Duty’s real-time wildfire mapping and alert app has become indispensable when fast-moving fires leave little room for hesitation or error.
—
Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
Mamdani won the mayoral race despite his struggles to win over many older Black voters, who during the campaign expressed hesitation about his candidacy.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Googoosh’s refusal to sing is not a sign of hesitation but a conscious political gesture – one that draws its force from her singular position in Iran’s cultural history.
—Richard Nedjat-Haiem, The Conversation, 15 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
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
Mamdani won the mayoral race despite his struggles to win over many older Black voters, who during the campaign expressed hesitation about his candidacy.
—Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Googoosh’s refusal to sing is not a sign of hesitation but a conscious political gesture – one that draws its force from her singular position in Iran’s cultural history.
—Richard Nedjat-Haiem, The Conversation, 15 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
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
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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
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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
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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
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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
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The rechargeable lithium-ion battery inside the NODE 100 provides up to 1000+ hours of use from a single charge, which means fewer pauses to top up on power.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
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The City of Minneapolis is also filing a declaration in hopes a judge will issue a temporary restraining order to put a pause on the operation.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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With so many rule changes taking effect at once, a little preparation can go a long way toward avoiding delays and maximizing your refund.—
Emma Waldman,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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The disruptions led to thousands of flight delays and cancellations, while hospitals, banks and other businesses around the world were also affected.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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