hesitate

verb

hes·i·tate ˈhe-zə-ˌtāt How to pronounce hesitate (audio)

hesitated; hesitating

intransitive verb

: to hold back in doubt or indecision

She didn't hesitate when they offered her the job.

: to delay momentarily : pause

He hesitated and waited for her to say something.

: stammer

transitive verb

: to hold back from (doing or saying something) in doubt or uncertainty

Don't hesitate to call if you need something.

hesitater noun

hesitatingly

ˈhe-zə-ˌtā-tiŋ-lē How to pronounce hesitate (audio)

adverb

Example Sentences

She hesitated and waited for her friend to say something. He hesitated about accepting the job. I sometimes hesitate to say what I am really thinking. I hesitated to come without being asked. I wouldn't hesitate to ask for your help if I felt I needed it. Don't hesitate to call if there is a problem. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Xi has made unifying Taiwan with China a primary goal of his rule, and his defense minister warned in June that Beijing would not hesitate to fight for the island.

Paul Mozur, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2022 This update from Sega of Japan suggests that anyone interested in the Western version of Genesis Mini 2, which will contain Western versions of some games and original Japanese versions of others, should not hesitate to place an order.

Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 29 July 2022 That reality doesn’t mean that Garland should hesitate to put Trump on trial.

Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 24 July 2022 Be open about your emotions regarding the situation, and don’t hesitate to also use the help your company offers.

Tytus Gołas, Forbes, 30 June 2022 Many people who have sensitive skin often hesitate to use facial masks in fear of further irritating the skin.

Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2022 Coach Eric Flannery didn’t hesitate to use that setback, a 55-54 loss in Norwalk, as motivation.

Matt Goul, cleveland, 5 Nov. 2021 Fromm’s thesis in his great work, Escape from Freedom, was a simple one; like Freud before him, Fromm did not hesitate to use the convention of mythic storytelling to make his insight vivid for the common reader.

Vivian Gornick, Harper's Magazine, 28 Sep. 2021 Drivers on the street that runs alongside parts of the Santa Fe Trail in East Dallas have become so reckless that some of us hesitate to use that path.

Sharon Grigsby, Dallas News, 27 July 2021 See More

hesitate

verb

as in to falter

to show uncertainty about the right course of action I didn't hesitate to tell them that what they were doing was wrong and that I wanted no part of it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

falter
wait
pause
scruple
vacillate
waver
debate
dither
hang back
halt
sway
stagger
shilly-shally
wabble
wobble
linger
balance
delay
ponder
procrastinate
dawdle
haw
teeter
consider
deliberate
weigh
equivocate
back down
hem
dally
pussyfoot
oscillate
waffle
hedge
chicken (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decide
continue
stir
plunge (in)
dive (in)
advance
budge

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of hesitate are falter, vacillate, and waver. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing.

hesitated before answering the question

The words falter and hesitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear.

never once faltered during her testimony

The synonyms vacillate and hesitate are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision.

vacillated until events were out of control

Although the words waver and hesitate have much in common, waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat.

wavered in his support of the rebels

单词	hesitate
释义	hesitate verb hes·i·tate ˈhe-zə-ˌtāt hesitated; hesitating intransitive verb 1 : to hold back in doubt or indecision She didn't hesitate when they offered her the job. 2 : to delay momentarily : pause He hesitated and waited for her to say something. 3 : stammer transitive verb : to hold back from (doing or saying something) in doubt or uncertainty Don't hesitate to call if you need something. hesitater noun hesitatingly ˈhe-zə-ˌtā-tiŋ-lē adverb Synonyms balance dither falter halt hang back scruple shilly-shally stagger teeter vacillate waver wobble wabble See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences She hesitated and waited for her friend to say something. He hesitated about accepting the job. I sometimes hesitate to say what I am really thinking. I hesitated to come without being asked. I wouldn't hesitate to ask for your help if I felt I needed it. Don't hesitate to call if there is a problem. See More Recent Examples on the Web Xi has made unifying Taiwan with China a primary goal of his rule, and his defense minister warned in June that Beijing would not hesitate to fight for the island. Paul Mozur, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Aug. 2022 This update from Sega of Japan suggests that anyone interested in the Western version of Genesis Mini 2, which will contain Western versions of some games and original Japanese versions of others, should not hesitate to place an order. Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, 29 July 2022 That reality doesn’t mean that Garland should hesitate to put Trump on trial. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 24 July 2022 Be open about your emotions regarding the situation, and don’t hesitate to also use the help your company offers. Tytus Gołas, Forbes, 30 June 2022 Many people who have sensitive skin often hesitate to use facial masks in fear of further irritating the skin. Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2022 Coach Eric Flannery didn’t hesitate to use that setback, a 55-54 loss in Norwalk, as motivation. Matt Goul, cleveland, 5 Nov. 2021 Fromm’s thesis in his great work, Escape from Freedom, was a simple one; like Freud before him, Fromm did not hesitate to use the convention of mythic storytelling to make his insight vivid for the common reader. Vivian Gornick, Harper's Magazine, 28 Sep. 2021 Drivers on the street that runs alongside parts of the Santa Fe Trail in East Dallas have become so reckless that some of us hesitate to use that path. Sharon Grigsby, Dallas News, 27 July 2021 See More Word History Etymology Latin haesitatus, past participle of haesitare to stick fast, hesitate, frequentative of haerēre to stick First Known Use 1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1 Kids Definition hesitate verb hes·i·tate ˈhe-zə-ˌtāt hesitated; hesitating 1 : to pause before doing something He hesitated before crossing the stream. 2 : to be unwilling to do something because of doubt or nervousness Don't hesitate to ask for help. hesitate verb as in to falter to show uncertainty about the right course of action I didn't hesitate to tell them that what they were doing was wrong and that I wanted no part of it Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance falter wait pause scruple vacillate waver debate dither hang back halt sway stagger shilly-shally wabble wobble linger balance delay ponder procrastinate dawdle haw teeter consider deliberate weigh equivocate back down hem dally pussyfoot oscillate waffle hedge chicken (out) Antonyms & Near Antonyms decide continue stir plunge (in) dive (in) advance budge See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of hesitate are falter, vacillate, and waver. While all these words mean "to show irresolution or uncertainty," hesitate implies a pause before deciding or acting or choosing. hesitated before answering the question The words falter and hesitate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, falter implies a wavering or stumbling and often connotes nervousness, lack of courage, or outright fear. never once faltered during her testimony The synonyms vacillate and hesitate are sometimes interchangeable, but vacillate implies prolonged hesitation from inability to reach a firm decision. vacillated until events were out of control Although the words waver and hesitate have much in common, waver implies hesitation after seeming to decide and so connotes weakness or a retreat. wavered in his support of the rebels
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hesitate

verb

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

verb

verb

Synonym Chooser