HESITATES Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

hesitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of hesitate

as in falters

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

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hesitates In Spearfish, Yu hesitates over a set of cow grates and dumps her bike at low velocity. — Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 July 2026 Hassan hesitates over an undercooked backpass, Haaland smells blood, and Iraq are toast. — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 24 June 2026 If someone hesitates, keep spirits up and adjust the route without losing the goal, then genuinely celebrate small wins. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026 The mother in Frederick County still hesitates. — Natasha Dartigue, Baltimore Sun, 16 May 2026 His grandson, Jack Schlossberg, who is running for Congress, never hesitates to remind audiences of his lineage. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026 Passengers swear and cry in multiple languages; at Gracie Mansion, an unpopular mayor hesitates to address the public for fear of being booed. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 And yet, even after years of success in other projects like Scooby-Doo, Scream 2, and Cruel Intentions, Gellar still hesitates when splurging on expensive items. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 June 2026 Yet the same board that will fund AI transformation, wellness apps, psychometrics, dashboards and catered offsites often still hesitates to fund serious executive coaching for the people making the highest-risk decisions in the company. — Bydr. Corrie Block, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hesitates

Verb

And once performance falters, customers are likely to lose faith in your brand.

— Brian Coyne, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Conquerors and autocrats may win the immediate battle by bullying their subjects into submission, but their empires inevitably crumble the moment their iron grip falters.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026

Definition of falters

Verb

Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 3 July 2026
On the walls, a few pots hang from a copper rod, a dinner bell waits to be jingled, and an ancient clock keeps time.

— Elazar Sontag, Washington Post, 2 July 2026

Definition of waits

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hesitated

hesitates

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“Hesitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hesitates. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hesitates

verb

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