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 fires weren’t the only reason for Bell’s initial hesitation to take the job.
—
Liza Esquibias, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
But that would extend the playoff for another two weeks, and multiple industry sources have expressed hesitation to stretch the event beyond its current 30-day window.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
But part of that unhappiness might be rooted in your hesitation to delegate tasks to your team members.
—Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025
Taking small steps toward dating and being open to new experiences can help break the cycle of hesitation.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Liza Esquibias, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
But that would extend the playoff for another two weeks, and multiple industry sources have expressed hesitation to stretch the event beyond its current 30-day window.
—Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025
But part of that unhappiness might be rooted in your hesitation to delegate tasks to your team members.
—Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 14 Feb. 2025
Taking small steps toward dating and being open to new experiences can help break the cycle of hesitation.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitation
Noun
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Nothing has been said officially in this regard, but perhaps some of the apparent hesitancy of coaches or Concacaf representatives to speak publicly on the matter in the immediate aftermath was based on speculation that the likely true nature of events involved some sort of misunderstanding.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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And Patton’s memorable opening speech hints at the film’s hesitancy about turning men into myths.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Some Republican lawmakers have expressed hesitance to focus on a DOGE dividend rather than lowering the national deficit or expanding tax cuts, according to Forbes.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacramento Bee,
12 Mar. 2025
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Soren Toft and Vincent Clerc, the CEOs of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Maersk, respectively, have called out the lack of safety guarantees as the top reason for their hesitance to return.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Since then, The Bachelorette has had 21 seasons and 23 leads (Seasons 16 and 19 had two Bachelorettes) until February 2025 when news broke that ABC had put the series on pause.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
17 Mar. 2025
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According to fans at the show, an announcer told the crowd that the unplanned pause was due to an electrical fire and said Journey would continue the show, ABC 13 Houston reported.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The delay, prompted by an issue with the launchpad’s ground system, further hindered the return of the two NASA astronauts who in June flew to the space station aboard the troubled Starliner.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
14 Mar. 2025
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Staff reductions of this magnitude risk prolonging processing delays and increasing wait times for taxpayer support—disproportionately harming working families who rely on prompt refunds and accessible services.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitation. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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