1
as in reluctance
a lack of willingness or desire to do or accept something
sales figures for the month were up, as consumers began to overcome their hesitance about purchasing big-ticket items
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
she mistook my hesitance to mean I didn't like her poem, but I was trying to come up with appropriate words of praise
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hesitance
President-elect Trump is encountering some unlikely openness from Democrats — and hesitance and confusion from Republicans — with his talk of acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal.
—
Andrew Solender, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
In 2019, when recounting that milestone from her own perspective, McCaskey first recalled the sharp anxiety leading up to the game and her hesitance to answer any of the league’s logistical questions about preparing for the trophy presentation ceremony.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Intelligence officials are likely to be concerned about the long-term effect that Trump’s policies will have on their agencies’ roles and authorities, leading to caution and hesitance that harm operational effectiveness.
—Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
In fact, she’s seen this resistance firsthand when folks in her co-living spaces express hesitance about accepting babysitting help pro-bono.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Andrew Solender, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
In 2019, when recounting that milestone from her own perspective, McCaskey first recalled the sharp anxiety leading up to the game and her hesitance to answer any of the league’s logistical questions about preparing for the trophy presentation ceremony.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025
Intelligence officials are likely to be concerned about the long-term effect that Trump’s policies will have on their agencies’ roles and authorities, leading to caution and hesitance that harm operational effectiveness.
—Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2025
In fact, she’s seen this resistance firsthand when folks in her co-living spaces express hesitance about accepting babysitting help pro-bono.
—Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 17 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hesitance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitance
Noun
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The post, however, did not offer an explanation for the groom's family's reluctance to attend.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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This reluctance sometimes stems from three key concerns: lack of trust in AI, implementation complexity and job security fears.—
Ron Williams,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Issues related to social justice, politics, sustainability, and mental health regularly intersect with entertainment stories, placing celebrities under pressure to publicly take stances on divisive topics, often without room for error or hesitation.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
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Consumer Confidence Is Still in Retreat Even as prices have started to ease, consumer hesitation lingers.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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In contrast, the ACC, long considered one of the premier basketball conferences, has had a down year, partly based on a hesitancy to embrace NIL.—
Greg Rosenstein,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
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Gypsy-Rose Blanchard opened up about her hesitancy to marry Ken on 'Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up', which airs Mondays at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime Comments Gypsy-Rose Blanchard is questioning where her relationship with Ken Urker is headed.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
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And with Russia’s Vladimir Putin failing to agree to a full pause in the fighting with Ukraine, signs point to a continuing war and uncertain American support for Ukraine.—
Ella Polak,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2025
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Under that agreement, the two sides were supposed to exploit the pause in fighting to negotiate the next stage of the deal, including a permanent cease-fire and the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitance. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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