hesitate
verb
hes·i·tate
ˈhe-zə-ˌtāt 
hesitated; hesitating
1
: to hold back in doubt or indecision
She didn't hesitate when they offered her the job.
2
: to delay momentarily : pause
He hesitated and waited for her to say something.
3
: stammer
: to hold back from (doing or saying something) in doubt or uncertainty
Don't hesitate to call if you need something.
hesitater
noun
Synonyms
Examples of hesitate in a Sentence
She hesitated and waited for her friend to say something.
He hesitated about accepting the job.
I sometimes hesitate to say what I am really thinking.
I hesitated to come without being asked.
I wouldn't hesitate to ask for your help if I felt I needed it.
Don't hesitate to call if there is a problem.
Recent Examples on the Web
But because spinners are so popular now, many hunters hesitate to run them, especially on pressured ducks.
—
Joe Arterburn, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
Don’t hesitate to do your best and implement a change that stimulates personal growth or self-improvement.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
If Election Day gets too overwhelming, to the point of election anxiety, don't hesitate to look for ways to get help and remember to put your mental health first.
—Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
Though proponents insist that the laws protect both the life of the fetus and the person carrying it, in practice, doctors have hesitated to provide care under threat of prosecution, prison time and professional ruin.
—Cassandra Jaramillo and Kavitha Surana, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hesitate 
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Joe Arterburn, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
Don’t hesitate to do your best and implement a change that stimulates personal growth or self-improvement.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
If Election Day gets too overwhelming, to the point of election anxiety, don't hesitate to look for ways to get help and remember to put your mental health first.
—Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
Though proponents insist that the laws protect both the life of the fetus and the person carrying it, in practice, doctors have hesitated to provide care under threat of prosecution, prison time and professional ruin.
—Cassandra Jaramillo and Kavitha Surana, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hesitate
Dictionary Entries Near hesitate
Cite this Entry
“Hesitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitate. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hesitate
verb
hes·i·tate
ˈhez-ə-ˌtāt
hesitated; hesitating
1
: to stop or pause because of uncertainty or indecision
hesitate before answering
2
: to be unwilling
hesitate to ask a favor
3
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