hesitancy

noun

hes·​i·​tan·​cy ˈhe-zə-tən(t)-sē 

1

: the quality or state of being hesitant: such as

a

: slowness in acting or deciding due to doubt or uncertainty : indecision

He often reminded me of Orwell, not so much in feature as by a kind of hesitancy of manner, as if thinking for a second about the true meaning of what had been said before committing himself …

—Anthony Powell

b

: lack of willingness or eagerness to do something : reluctance

She took that drastic step only with the greatest hesitancy.

This hesitancy to hire is one of the reasons companies are so unfazed by the possibility of the economy slowing.

—Rob Norton

I was naturally a little hesitant about asking exactly how much he did earn—but there was no hesitancy on his part as he flourished his pay slip.

—Richard Carver

see also vaccine hesitancy

2

plural hesitancies : an act or instance of being hesitant : hesitation sense 1

… he speaks in a cheerful, self-deprecating fashion that seems to preclude silences or hesitancies on either side of a conversation.

—Roger Angell

3

medical : urinary hesitancy

… his chief complaint was hesitancy and intermittency of urination.

—Ari J. Isaacson

Synonyms

• disinclination
• hesitance
• reluctance
• reticence
• unwillingness

Examples of hesitancy in a Sentence

his appointment to the superintendency was confirmed by the school board without the least hesitancy

his hesitancy in pulling over into the next lane while he had a chance resulted in him missing his exit

Recent Examples on the Web

The event signals a substantial nod of confidence in Harris from a critical part of the LGBTQ+ community that has historically eyed her with hesitancy. —Condé Nast, Them, 15 Aug. 2024

Many attribute their hesitancy to the perception that physicians are unwilling or unable to help. —Henry Bair, STAT, 31 July 2024

Rivera, who lives in Goodyear, will be voting for the very first time in this election, and despite some hesitancy at the beginning, solidified his support for Harris. —Rafael Carranza, The Arizona Republic, 31 Oct. 2024

Yes, this story was reportedly (mostly) true as Belushi didn't sign his contract until moments before the cold open due to his hesitancy over the show and joining TV in general. —Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 12 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hesitancy

• urinary hesitancy
• vaccine hesitancy

Kids Definition

hesitancy

noun

hes·​i·​tan·​cy ˈhez-ə-tən-sē 

plural hesitancies

1

: a tendency to hesitate

2

: an act or instance of hesitating

Medical Definition

hesitancy

noun

hes·​i·​tan·​cy ˈhez-ə-tən(t)-sē 

: the quality or state of being hesitant: such as

a

: lack of willingness or eagerness to do something

hesitancy to report symptoms

see also vaccine hesitancy

b

: urinary hesitancy

One patient had symptoms of urinary incontinence, frequency, nocturia and hesitancy …

—Ray Addison, Nursing Times