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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitation
Beneath that hesitation may also be the all-too-familiar fear of one day being replaced by technology.
—
Greg Edwards, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Corporations such as Boeing, General Electric and Honeywell all struck deals to begin providing services in Iran, albeit in a relatively minor fashion given existing restrictions and hesitation over ongoing debates surrounding the accord.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
And Superman is hopping into the booth to answer the call every time the phone rings in these playoffs with zero hesitation.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 May 2025
That’s where the Oracle of Omaha’s other main hesitation with real estate factors in: Buying property is often a hassle.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Greg Edwards, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Corporations such as Boeing, General Electric and Honeywell all struck deals to begin providing services in Iran, albeit in a relatively minor fashion given existing restrictions and hesitation over ongoing debates surrounding the accord.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
And Superman is hopping into the booth to answer the call every time the phone rings in these playoffs with zero hesitation.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 17 May 2025
That’s where the Oracle of Omaha’s other main hesitation with real estate factors in: Buying property is often a hassle.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
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The gaming industry has been hit hard in recent years with layoffs, delayed funding and investor hesitancy.—
Chris Hewish,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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That’s due to several factors, such as challenges related to cost and access and hesitancy among some cardiologists and primary care physicians.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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But that is where the similarities end, and where the hesitance to believe the Knicks had a chance at the reigning champs seeps in deep.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2025
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This hesitance only reinforces the false narrative that race is a divisive topic rather than an integral part of understanding American society.—
Anne Tapp Jaksa,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Storms in the area put the search on pause between 1:30 and 6 a.m. May 26, then crews resumed until Smith was found the next day, officials said.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
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Live recordings, put on pause during the pandemic, haven’t yet restarted.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
Noun
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After a brief rain delay in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Hurricanes again couldn’t string together any hits to cut into the Cardinals’ lead.—
Cameron Priester,
Sun Sentinel,
7 June 2025
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Initial delays were caused by a five-year closing process, which came to an end in 2023.—
Desiree Mathurin,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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