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
And don’t hesitate to add the bench to your bedroom for an extra spot to get ready in the morning or as a place to enjoy a cup of coffee and your current book.
—
Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2024
Jed Brewer, Good Loud Media Reach Out to Your Peers for Help
Personal branding doesn’t mean branding alone, so don’t hesitate to ask for help.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
In a future Iran strike, Tehran may not hesitate to use Israel’s northern border as a launching pad.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Gaskin doesn’t hesitate to trade her village home for a tropical paradise and brings a production company along for the ride.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Without more rigorous studies, medical practitioners hesitate to incorporate it into their practice.
—Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
If the government casts doubt on the reliability of these patents, firms will hesitate to license and develop early-stage research.
—Andrei Iancu, Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2024
Here’s to the week ahead, and don’t hesitate to reach out with comments, questions, feedback, and pet tech IPOs.
—Susan Howson, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
And Trump would almost certainly not hesitate to use the levers of government against anyone who opposed him.
—Jonathan Mahler Edoardo Ballerini Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2024
Jed Brewer, Good Loud Media Reach Out to Your Peers for Help
Personal branding doesn’t mean branding alone, so don’t hesitate to ask for help.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
In a future Iran strike, Tehran may not hesitate to use Israel’s northern border as a launching pad.
—Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Gaskin doesn’t hesitate to trade her village home for a tropical paradise and brings a production company along for the ride.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
Without more rigorous studies, medical practitioners hesitate to incorporate it into their practice.
—Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
If the government casts doubt on the reliability of these patents, firms will hesitate to license and develop early-stage research.
—Andrei Iancu, Orange County Register, 1 Apr. 2024
Here’s to the week ahead, and don’t hesitate to reach out with comments, questions, feedback, and pet tech IPOs.
—Susan Howson, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
And Trump would almost certainly not hesitate to use the levers of government against anyone who opposed him.
—Jonathan Mahler Edoardo Ballerini Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hesitate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hesitate
Cite this Entry
“Hesitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hesitate. Accessed 24 Apr. 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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