Synonyms of hesitation

hesitation

noun

ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hesitancy
• hesitance
• pause
• delay
• indecision
• vacillation
• uncertainty
• irresolution
• deliberation
• wavering
• faltering
• wabbling
• wobbling
• doubt
• waiting
• reluctance
• fence-sitting
• shilly-shallying
• shilly-shally
• consideration
• procrastination
• debate
• indecisiveness
• second thought
• hawing
• misgiving
• incertitude
• avoidance
• indetermination
• unwillingness
• timidity
• equivocation
• arrière-pensée
• timidness
• indisposition
• faintheartedness
• disinclination
• shyness
• uncertainness
• aversion

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confidence
• determination
• resolution
• certainty
• firmness
• certitude
• readiness
• eagerness
• decisiveness
• sureness
• alacrity
• resoluteness

Examples of hesitation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After a moment’s hesitation—what would MacArthur think?—I eased behind the wooden desk and tried to channel the general, whose larger-than-life personality was once on full display in this office. —Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024

Spontaneity, hesitation, speed, imperfection, and the unintended whispers of the body disappear. —Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024

The 45-minute drive from her store and the fact that the perfect house came while preparations for launch day were well underway gave Cavallari cause for hesitation, but the Laguna Beach alumna loved the chicken coop and the animal sheds that came with the property. —Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 8 Aug. 2024

Technological advances like the printing press, telephones, trains, and many other foundational pieces of modern technology were once met with skepticism and hesitation. —Bars Juhasz, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2024