hesitation

American  

[hez-i-tey-shuhn] / ˌhɛz ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of hesitating; a delay due to uncertainty of mind or fear.

   His hesitation cost him the championship.

2. a state of doubt or uncertainty.

   Synonyms:

   vacillation, irresolution, indecision, hesitancy

3. a halting or faltering in speech.

   Synonyms:

   stammer

---

Other Word Forms

• prehesitation
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hesitation

First recorded in 1615–25, hesitation is from the Latin word haesitātiōn- (stem of haesitātiō ). See hesitate, -ion

Explanation

A hesitation is a pause. If your friend asks you, "Do you like my new haircut?" you'd better make sure there's not a second's hesitation before you answer, "Yes, of course!" Hesitation happens when you feel uncertainty or doubt. It can be a pause in speech, a faltering moment before you act, or a silent second of indecision. If your friend's dog is growling and staring you down, but she tells you he won't bite, that feeling that something not feeling right that stops you from petting him is hesitation. The Latin root of hesitation is haesitationem, which means irresolution or uncertainty.

Example Sentences

But progress has been slow amid hesitation in Beijing.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Chief Financial Officer Richard McPhail said rising fuel costs, increased mortgage rates, and layoffs contribute to customer hesitation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

I think it starts from the same thing that inspired my own hesitation to declare the frozen trucker case absurd when I first heard about it.

From Slate • May 13, 2026

For Nazakat Ali, that hesitation has become part of the job.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Startled at being thus addressed, I did not immediately reply: after a moment’s hesitation I answered—

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• doubt
• equivocation
• hesitancy
• indecision
• misgiving
• mistrust
• pause
• procrastination
• qualm
• reluctance
• skepticism
• unwillingness
• vacillation