hesitant
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hesitant
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin haesitant-, stem of haesitāns “faltering,” present participle of haesitāre “to falter, hesitate,” literally, “to stick repeatedly,” from haerēre “to stick, cling”
Explanation
When you’re feeling hesitant, you aren’t sure what to do, so instead of taking action you wait a little, biding your time until you figure out what option is best. The Latin word haesitant translates as “being undecided,” and not being able to decide is exactly what makes you hesitant. Being hesitant will make you hesitate for a bit, waiting to see what happens next. Nervousness or fear will make your actions hesitant, like when trying to walk across a rickety wooden bridge. Should you keep going or turn back? Your hesitant steps show that you’re still wrestling with that question. Whatever you decide, don’t look down.
Vocabulary lists containing hesitant
The Diary of Anne Frank
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The Hate U Give
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During a call with reporters, Fiddelke noted that consumers remain hesitant as the Iran war drives up prices for gas, clothing and the materials that go into the products on retailers’ shelves.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
Gromov said he saw "quite high" chances of a full commercial deal being struck, while Korolev was more hesitant, expecting only "affirmation of political support, not final agreements".
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
Eduardo Sanchez lauds the company’s economic impact and is hesitant to criticize the smelter.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
Reed was hesitant about potentially long waits for the train, which he considered anything over 10 minutes.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
Why he’d been hesitant to bike in the first place.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
