hesitation

noun

hes·​i·​ta·​tion ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce hesitation (audio)
1
: an act or instance of hesitating
2
: a pausing or faltering in speech

Examples of hesitation in a Sentence

one moment's hesitation on my part, and the elusive butterfly was lost to me forever
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The source of hesitation is President Trump’s latest tariffs, which, as announced earlier this month, included a 46% tax on imports from Vietnam, the country’s eighth-largest trading partner. Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2025 Studies show that financial trauma can lead to avoidance behaviors, chronic underinvestment, and hesitation in wealth-building strategies even among women who appear financially stable on paper. Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 And due to those few seconds of hesitation, the father and son lumberjacks are sadly eliminated from the race. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 9 Apr. 2025 Consumer demand warning in freight orders decline While the North American cross-border warehouse moves have been elevated, future freight scheduled for truck delivery or pickup shows a nationwide hesitation among U.S. importers, according to DataDocks, a global supply chain scheduling system. Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hesitation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hesitation was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitation. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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