hesitation

noun

hes·​i·​ta·​tion ˌhe-zə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce hesitation (audio)
1
: an act or instance of hesitating
2
: a pausing or faltering in speech

Examples of hesitation in a Sentence

one moment's hesitation on my part, and the elusive butterfly was lost to me forever
Recent Examples on the Web Right now, the Discord and Steam clients are easy and popular apps to try this with; both still exhibit small beats of hesitation and hitchy scrolling compared to native apps. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 2 July 2024 Without much hesitation, the beverage mogul gives Wilson an hourlong tour of his estate. Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 17 June 2024 Rogers says some of the hesitation about using sunscreen stems from research that found chemical sunscreens can be absorbed in the bloodstream at levels higher than previously thought, and that should be studied further. Maria Godoy, NPR, 17 June 2024 Furthermore, a few members of the San Diego City Council have expressed hesitation about funding new shelters when money is already tight for existing homelessness programs. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for hesitation 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hesitation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hesitation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near hesitation

Cite this Entry

“Hesitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitation. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

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