hesitation
noun
hes·i·ta·tion
ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən 
1
: an act or instance of hesitating
2
: a pausing or faltering in speech
Examples of hesitation in a Sentence
one moment's hesitation on my part, and the elusive butterfly was lost to me forever
Recent Examples on the Web
Swinney has been openly critical of the evolving college football landscape, showing strong hesitation to bend his long-standing coaching philosophies.
—
Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Machiavelli expressed the idea in The Prince that choosing a side—regardless of the outcome—is always better than neutrality, asserting that action preserves options while hesitation loses them.
—Koray Köse, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In fact, the organization California YIMBY recognizes that is one of the many hesitations from opponents.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
If there's any sort of sympathies or any just hesitation, that's going to be enough.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
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Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
Machiavelli expressed the idea in The Prince that choosing a side—regardless of the outcome—is always better than neutrality, asserting that action preserves options while hesitation loses them.
—Koray Köse, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
In fact, the organization California YIMBY recognizes that is one of the many hesitations from opponents.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
If there's any sort of sympathies or any just hesitation, that's going to be enough.
—Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hesitation
Cite this Entry
“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitation. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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