hesitate
verb (used without object)
to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination.
hesitated
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past participleof hesitate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof hesitate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
hesitateverb (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.
Software engineer Simon Martin, 44, who lives in Ancoats, recounted how a cab driver told him he would have hesitated once to pick him up, when the area was riddled with crime.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Continental was one of several U.S. oil companies that had hesitated for months to commit large amounts of capital to Venezuela.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
When that understanding broke down, Saudi Arabia, focused on Iran, hesitated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 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
I hesitated, though, my finger hovering above the button.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
