hesitate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
hesitates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
hesitated,
past participle, past
-
hesitating
present participle
-
to be reluctant or wait to act because of fear, indecision, or disinclination.
She hesitated to take the job.
- Antonyms:
- decide
-
to have scruples or doubts; be unwilling.
He hesitated to break the law.
-
to pause.
I hesitated before reciting the next line.
- Antonyms:
- hasten
-
to falter in speech; stammer.
Embarrassment caused the speaker to hesitate.
verb
-
to hold back or be slow in acting; be uncertain
-
to be unwilling or reluctant (to do something)
-
to stammer or pause in speaking
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
hesitaternoun
-
hesitationnoun
-
hesitatornoun
-
prehesitateverb (used without object)
-
hesitativeadjective
-
hesitatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
hesitatesimple
-
hesitatessimple
-
have hesitatedperfect
-
has hesitatedperfect
-
am hesitatingprogressive
-
are hesitatingprogressive
-
is hesitatingprogressive
-
have been hesitatingperfect progressive
-
has been hesitatingperfect progressive
Past
-
hesitatedsimple
-
had hesitatedperfect
-
was hesitatingprogressive
-
were hesitatingprogressive
-
had been hesitatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of hesitate
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin haesitātus “faltered,” past participle of haesitāre “to falter”; see hesitant
Explanation
To hesitate is to pause before doing something, often out of concern or worry. If you're playing basketball and have a wide-open shot but don't take it right away, you hesitated. Maybe you felt too much pressure to shoot the ball. When people are nervous or worried, they tend to hesitate. Hesitating while speaking is common. In class, if you're not sure you have the right answer, you'll hesitate. When giving bad news, people often hesitate. Sometimes it makes sense to hesitate and sometimes you just need to do what you have to do.
Vocabulary lists containing hesitate
List 3
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Fears and Phobias," Vocabulary from the article
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Frindle
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Even if he is defeated on Tuesday, Mr. Netanyahu could decide to launch one last strike that he may believe his successor would hesitate to execute.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026
But maybe that was akin to the way people hesitate before jumping into cool water, Knight said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 24, 2026
His mother, Dr. Holly Carveth, said she looked at her son’s applications, wondering if there was a red flag that made employers hesitate, but nothing stood out.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
She said she would not hesitate "to impose further measures on other countries refusing to co-operate".
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
“Well, if you change your mind, don’t you hesitate to give us a yell, now.”
From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
He hesitates to call what he was doing playing at the professional level.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
Most people recognize the familiar situation at a restaurant or dinner party when one plate arrives early and the person served hesitates to start eating.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 12, 2026
That is the case for Lucia May, aged four, who hesitates as she looks at skulls peeking from wooden boxes, some still with some hair.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025
She hesitates for about 30 seconds, walking backwards and forwards.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2025
Tim hesitates for a second, but then he shuffles out of the dining hall, too.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
But that is a moot point: Ever since she was a toddler she’s never hesitated to take issue with me.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
When that understanding broke down, Saudi Arabia, focused on Iran, hesitated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
But, even so, she hesitated for years before speaking out, partly because she "really, really" doesn't want to hurt people.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
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
“As I was saying earlier, sir, I’d like to have the elevator operator’s uniform so I can . . .” I hesitated, not wanting to say wash my dress.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
But experts have worried that doctors are hesitating to offer treatment without an ironclad diagnosis, which clinicians say can take time and increase risks to the mother.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Participants at the Santa Marta meeting believe the real purpose of the meeting is to show those who are hesitating about the transition that there is a critical mass moving in favour of renewables.
From BBC ● Apr. 24, 2026
That removed a near-term overhang on the stock, but private lenders are hesitating to back its plans, according to Schwartz.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 25, 2026
Although police still can use less-lethal weapons to contain unruly demonstrators, the city claimed the rules put officers at risk of hesitating in chaotic situations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2026
Then without hesitating, I cut off my hair, watching with regret the long flaxen curls fall to the ground.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
