hesitant

[hez-i-tuh nt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR hesitant ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

hesitating; undecided, doubtful, or disinclined.

lacking readiness of speech.

RELATED WORDS

shyly, carefully, falteringly

Nearby words

Origin of hesitant

1640–50; < Latin haesitant- (stem of haesitāns), present participle of haesitāre to falter, hesitate, equivalent to haes(us), past participle of haerēre to stick, hold fast + -it- frequentative suffix + -ant- -ant

Related forms

hes·i·tant·ly, adverbnon·hes·i·tant, adjectivenon·hes·i·tant·ly, adverbun·hes·i·tant, adjective

un·hes·i·tant·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for hesitantly

According to police, she “hesitantly” complied with orders and told police that she had done nothing wrong.
Anna Benson, Former ‘Baseball Wife,’ Reportedly Snaps. What Happened?|Christine Pelisek|July 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
“There were times when I was writing the book when I did get angry at the president,” she says hesitantly.
JFK’s Intern-Mistress Mimi Alford Confesses, ‘I Did Love Him’|Leslie Bennetts|February 10, 2012|DAILY BEAST
“I am happy to write more articles like that,” he said hesitantly.
The Saudi Kingdom's 9/11|Robert Lacey|October 17, 2009|DAILY BEAST
"Why, it's—it's a sickish, acid sort of odour," said Colton hesitantly.
The Flying Death|Samuel Hopkins Adams

At the threshold of the room where I had left Weighborne I hesitantly knocked.
The Portal of Dreams|Charles Neville Buck
"It would be better—because of the invitation," he said slowly, hesitantly, with the air of one who does not wish to importune.
The Palace of Darkened Windows|Mary Hastings Bradley
"You tell me you are Lee," she began slowly, hesitantly, as though the words were literally forced from her against her will.
Astounding Stories, June, 1931|Various
They walked more warily when they had, traveling slowly and hesitantly, gone more than a hundred feet from their plane.
Lords of the Stratosphere|Arthur J. Burks

British Dictionary definitions for hesitantly

hesitant

adjective

wavering, hesitating, or irresolute

Derived Formshesitance or hesitancy, nounhesitantly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hesitantly

hesitant

adj.

1640s, probably a back-formation from hesitancy, or else from Latin haesitantem. Related: Hesitantly.

hesitant

adjective

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of hesitant

Examples from the Web for hesitantly

hesitant

adjective

hesitant