1
as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
his appointment to the superintendency was confirmed by the school board without the least hesitancy
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
his hesitancy in pulling over into the next lane while he had a chance resulted in him missing his exit
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitancy
Some expressed hesitancy about traveling because of Konanki’s disappearance.
—
Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
In contrast, the ACC, long considered one of the premier basketball conferences, has had a down year, partly based on a hesitancy to embrace NIL.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard opened up about her hesitancy to marry Ken on 'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up', which airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Comments
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is questioning where her relationship with Ken Urker is headed.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Barriers to change There yet remains a widespread hesitancy on the part of banks and other financial institutions to move their operations entirely to the cloud.
—Andrew Beatty, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
In contrast, the ACC, long considered one of the premier basketball conferences, has had a down year, partly based on a hesitancy to embrace NIL.
—Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 19 Mar. 2025
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard opened up about her hesitancy to marry Ken on 'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up', which airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime
Comments
Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is questioning where her relationship with Ken Urker is headed.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Barriers to change There yet remains a widespread hesitancy on the part of banks and other financial institutions to move their operations entirely to the cloud.
—Andrew Beatty, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitancy
Noun
-
The post, however, did not offer an explanation for the groom's family's reluctance to attend.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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This reluctance sometimes stems from three key concerns: lack of trust in AI, implementation complexity and job security fears.—
Ron Williams,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Issues related to social justice, politics, sustainability, and mental health regularly intersect with entertainment stories, placing celebrities under pressure to publicly take stances on divisive topics, often without room for error or hesitation.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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Consumer Confidence Is Still in Retreat Even as prices have started to ease, consumer hesitation lingers.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Some Republican lawmakers have already expressed hesitance about removing the governor’s executive authority over immigration enforcement.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2025
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One attorney contacted by the Bay Area News Group expressed hesitance about whether their client was explicitly covered.—
Caelyn Pender,
The Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The president announced a 90-day pause for several countries but increased tariffs on Chinese goods to 125%.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
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Hedge fund honcho Bill Ackman joined a growing list of President Donald Trump's billionaire backers calling for the White House to slam the brakes on tariffs just hours before Trump authorized a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for most countries that went into effect Wednesday morning.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitancy. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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