as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
after a moment of anguished irresolution, I raised my rifle and fired at the charging animal
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Recent Examples of irresolution
The Oslo musician’s debut album is a darkly glamorous blur of trip-hop and dance pop, with copious reverb and Auto-Tune as stand-ins for yearning, uneasiness, and irresolution.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irresolution
Noun
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That recalibration comes at a moment when fairs worldwide are grappling with rising costs, uneven sales, and collector hesitation.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
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That hesitation is where dreams die.—
Rolling Stone Culture Council,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Despite Pickford’s relative hesitancy to engage aerially, Everton have been one of the most effective teams in the league at defending corners, conceding just five goals, the joint third fewest in the Premier League.—
Matt Pyzdrowski,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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This hesitancy is showing up in the market.—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Shares of McCormick fell 6% in morning trading, while Unilever's stock down 4%, reflecting investors' hesitance about the mega-merger.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
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That likely means there won’t be any hesitance by Stammen to use his higher-leverage relievers today and tomorrow.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday Ukraine is ready to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to Russia a pause in attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter holiday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Leon, in issuing the temporary pause, concluded that the preservationist group behind the legal challenge was likely to succeed because the president lacks the authority to build the ballroom without approval from Congress.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irresolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irresolution. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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