Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

hesitated

  • past participle
    of hesitate.
    hesitate
    verb (used without object)
    to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination.
  • past tense form
    of hesitate.
    hesitate
    verb (used without object)
    to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination.

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.

See Examples For:

Catalina Sanchez, a 64-year-old secretary who celebrated with her daughters until 4:00 am, hesitated to remove her sunglasses as she headed to work.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

But team-mate Olav Kooij did not follow and as the riders hesitated, Waerenskjold sneaked through a gap beside the barriers to launch a counter-attack with 400m remaining.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

He hesitated to predict how the case will play out, noting that he could see the court agreeing to seek out more facts or opting not to micromanage CARB’s allowance decisions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

During some calls, Sheinbaum hasn’t hesitated to interrupt Trump to clarify issues of relevance for Mexico.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

Dad hesitated, and I knew I couldn’t bear to hear him talk about it, not here, not in front of Mikayla and her mom.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller