hesitant
/ˈhɛzɪt(ə)nt
/adjective
Tentative, unsure, or slow in acting or speaking: clients are hesitant about buying her slow, hesitant way of speaking...
- The kiss was slow and innocent at first, apprehensive; he was still hesitant and unsure.
- I know that you run into a lot of people who are hesitant to accept the fact that you say you do this.
- I was a little nervous and hesitant about taking on the job three years ago but I am glad that I did.
Synonyms
uncertain, undecided, unsure, doubtful, in doubt, dubious, tentative, half-hearted, ambivalent, sceptical, reluctant, nervous, having misgivings, having qualms, hanging back, stalling, delaying;
irresolute, hesitating, indecisive, dithering, vacillating, wavering, oscillating, shilly-shallying, in two minds, in a quandary, in a dilemma, on the horns of a dilemma;
British havering, humming and hawing
informal iffy, dilly-dallying, blowing hot and cold
rare cunctatory
lacking confidence, diffident, timid, shy, bashful, insecure, self-effacing;
stammering, stuttering, stumbling, faltering
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin haesitant- 'being undecided', from the verb haesitare (see hesitate).
- replacement level
- replacement period
- replacement price
- replacement ratio
- replacement theory
- replacement therapy
- replacer
- replacive
- replait
- replan
- replant
- replantation
- replant disease
- replaster
- replate
- replay
- replayability
- replayable
- replay value
- replead
- repleader
- repleading
- repleat
- reple deple
- repledge