1
as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
sales figures for the month were up, as consumers began to overcome their hesitance about purchasing big-ticket items
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
she mistook my hesitance to mean I didn't like her poem, but I was trying to come up with appropriate words of praise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitance
President-elect Trump is encountering some unlikely openness from Democrats — and hesitance and confusion from Republicans — with his talk of acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal.
—
Andrew Solender, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
In 2019, when recounting that milestone from her own perspective, McCaskey first recalled the sharp anxiety leading up to the game and her hesitance to answer any of the league’s logistical questions about preparing for the trophy presentation ceremony.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Intelligence officials are likely to be concerned about the long-term effect that Trump’s policies will have on their agencies’ roles and authorities, leading to caution and hesitance that harm operational effectiveness.
—Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
In fact, she’s seen this resistance firsthand when folks in her co-living spaces express hesitance about accepting babysitting help pro-bono.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Andrew Solender, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
In 2019, when recounting that milestone from her own perspective, McCaskey first recalled the sharp anxiety leading up to the game and her hesitance to answer any of the league’s logistical questions about preparing for the trophy presentation ceremony.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Intelligence officials are likely to be concerned about the long-term effect that Trump’s policies will have on their agencies’ roles and authorities, leading to caution and hesitance that harm operational effectiveness.
—Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
In fact, she’s seen this resistance firsthand when folks in her co-living spaces express hesitance about accepting babysitting help pro-bono.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
-
The only remotely realistic thing about the episode is the son’s reluctance to consent.—
Samuel Ashworth,
The Atlantic,
20 Mar. 2025
-
However, the absence of Johns from the event is consistent with his continued reluctance to revisit Silverchair’s past.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
This kind of training helps eliminate hesitation in critical moments.—
Oleg Fonarov,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Use Your Mouth Nothing kills intensity like hesitation.—
Dominique Fluker,
Essence,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That's an encouraging step, but consistency on the importance of vaccination is needed to overcome current levels of public hesitancy.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
-
The team’s hesitancy stemmed, in part, from its existing collection of nine-figure contracts.—
Dennis Lin,
The Athletic,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Since then, The Bachelorette has had 21 seasons and 23 leads (Seasons 16 and 19 had two Bachelorettes) until February 2025 when news broke that ABC had put the series on pause.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
17 Mar. 2025
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According to fans at the show, an announcer told the crowd that the unplanned pause was due to an electrical fire and said Journey would continue the show, ABC 13 Houston reported.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
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