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 change of pace, the body control, the hang time, the touch on his finishes, the shoulder fakes, the hesitations, the in-and-out dribble moves.
—
Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 July 2025
On the other hand, hesitation or half-measures will send a clear signal to founders and investors that Israel is content to watch from the sidelines.
—Tomer Niv, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Despite starting from a neutral position roughly three yards off his line, John shows no hesitation in extending himself nearly 10 yards to reach the edge of his penalty spot and claim the ball with authority.
—Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 9 July 2025
Was there any hesitation about writing something that hits so close to home in terms of your real-life experiences within the reality TV community?
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 July 2025
On the other hand, hesitation or half-measures will send a clear signal to founders and investors that Israel is content to watch from the sidelines.
—Tomer Niv, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Despite starting from a neutral position roughly three yards off his line, John shows no hesitation in extending himself nearly 10 yards to reach the edge of his penalty spot and claim the ball with authority.
—Matt Pyzdrowski, New York Times, 9 July 2025
Was there any hesitation about writing something that hits so close to home in terms of your real-life experiences within the reality TV community?
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
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The preservative’s safety has been thoroughly studied, but was removed from all childhood vaccines in 2001 to try to address parents’ hesitancy.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Mercury News,
5 July 2025
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For example, private payrolls processor ADP reported a net decline in jobs added amid a hesitancy for companies to replace departing workers, ADP's chief economist said.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Several major automakers are investing billions of dollars into American EV production despite the U.S. hesitance to adopt EVs.—
Charles Singh,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
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Despite hesitance from some Republican senators, all of Trump’s nominees who have come for a vote on the floor have been confirmed, even his most contentious picks.—
Elizabeth Crisp,
The Hill,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Decisions are made, the next task appears, and there’s little pause to examine what worked or what missed.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Even though no funding has been cut, Jackson condemned the administration, contending the effect of the pause is going to be massive and could result in North Carolina firing about 1,000 educators.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
Noun
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How tariff news fuels some scams The Better Business Bureau warned earlier this summer that some scammers are using fake excuses involving delays caused by tariffs to cover up fraudulent online orders.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
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Cannabis Advocates Call For Rescheduling Marijuana Following Cole’s confirmation, cannabis industry organizations and executives were quick to call on the new DEA head to approve the proposal to reschedule cannabis, which has been put on hold since January because of procedural delays.—
A.J. Herrington,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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