as in hesitation
a state or an instance of temporary inaction because of uncertainty about the right course of action
after a moment of anguished irresolution, I raised my rifle and fired at the charging animal
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Recent Examples of irresolution
In those heady decades of postmodern language-play and seductive irresolution, claims for literature as a force for truth and justice would likely be dismissed, with a smirk, as humanist pieties.
—
Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The Oslo musician’s debut album is a darkly glamorous blur of trip-hop and dance pop, with copious reverb and Auto-Tune as stand-ins for yearning, uneasiness, and irresolution.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Charlie Tyson, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The Oslo musician’s debut album is a darkly glamorous blur of trip-hop and dance pop, with copious reverb and Auto-Tune as stand-ins for yearning, uneasiness, and irresolution.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irresolution
Noun
-
There can be apathy and hesitation.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
For example, during his dominant, 18-point first quarter in the Spurs’ Game 5 win over the Timberwolves, on one play Wembanyama hit a combo of hesitation dribbles into a crossover into a spinning layup over Rudy Gobert.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Now on the Democratic side, at least when this began, there was hesitancy from Democrats, even about Newsom’s idea of fighting fire with fire.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
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Cutting that research doesn’t make hesitancy disappear.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
Noun
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After a pause for the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, social hesitance was still evident and masks were incorporated into some of the night's designs.—
Luis Giraldo,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
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Sensing hesitance as well as incompetence, coaches and players alike tried to sway the flailing fill-ins at every turn.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There was a pause in the action in the fourth inning when plate umpire Brian O’Nora exited with concussion-like symptoms after getting hit by a foul ball.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
-
Let’s pause here for a moment for an important bit of context.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irresolution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irresolution. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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