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
The friend enthusiastically accepted, and Celina didn’t sense any hesitation.
—
Ashley Vega, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
However, there is a divine beauty about letting go of fear and hesitation.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Still, criticism refused to subside; Watkins was responsible for 1.11 of Villa’s overall xG total of 1.88, having six shots and showing palpable hesitation after getting into goalscoring positions — left channel, just inside the edge of the box — which came so easily to him last year.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
For example, a financial services organization rolling out a new product and working to generate sales using only CRM data might overlook early signs of buyer hesitation.
—Eilon Reshef, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hesitation 
Ashley Vega, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
However, there is a divine beauty about letting go of fear and hesitation.
—Lisa Stardust, refinery29.com, 9 Jan. 2025
Still, criticism refused to subside; Watkins was responsible for 1.11 of Villa’s overall xG total of 1.88, having six shots and showing palpable hesitation after getting into goalscoring positions — left channel, just inside the edge of the box — which came so easily to him last year.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
For example, a financial services organization rolling out a new product and working to generate sales using only CRM data might overlook early signs of buyer hesitation.
—Eilon Reshef, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
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Participant hesitancy creates a real disadvantage when trying to communicate openly, develop an understanding of a person or situation, or negotiate effectively.—
Jason Foodman,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
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The timing of their pressing was off because of their hesitancy to press high.—
Charlotte Harpur,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Sahar Abi-Hassan, an assistant professor in political science at Northeastern University who studies the behavior of the Supreme Court, says the court might side with TikTok for several reasons, including its historical hesitance toward restricting speech.—
Lauren Feiner,
The Verge,
9 Jan. 2025
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Still, Zhu’s hesitance to speak about Shein’s exposure to Xinjiang at the hearing might have been born of pragmatic reasons, or perhaps even strategic ones.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The result: The office tasked with managing the return to student loan repayment after a long pandemic pause, as well as the rollout of an overhauled FAFSA, was flat-funded for 2023.—
Cory Turner,
NPR,
16 Jan. 2025
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The previous agreement, in November 2023, furnished only a pause.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In the face of the delay of bringing the mission to its full operational strength of 2,500, the security situation continues to deteriorate.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
25 Jan. 2025
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Now, county officials are calling for an independent investigation into the delay of the evacuation alert — which comes on the heels of other issues with the emergency alert system, including erroneously calling for the evacuation of other parts of the county on Thursday, Jan. 9.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
People.com,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hesitation
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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