hesitation

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən/ 🇺🇸 /ˌhɛzəˈteɪʃən/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The act or process of pausing or delaying before making a decision or taking action, often due to uncertainty, doubt, or indecision.; A brief pause or break in speech, often caused by uncertainty about what to say next.; A feeling of reluctance or unwillingness to do something.; A wavering or vacillating state of mind; irresolution.; In fencing, a feint or deceptive movement designed to make the opponent react prematurely.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable / uncountable Plural: hesitations

Collocations

without hesitationa moment's hesitationwith some hesitationafter a brief hesitationshow hesitationa slight hesitation

Derivatives

hesitatehesitanthesitantlyhesitatinghesitatinglyhesitancy

Synonyms

reluctanceindecisionuncertaintydoubtvacillationpause

Antonyms

decisivenessconfidencecertaintyresolution

Commonly confused

hesitancy
EN: 'Hesitancy' is more formal and often used in technical/medical contexts (e.g., 'vaccine hesitancy'), while 'hesitation' is the general-purpose term for a pause or reluctance.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the 'i' before '-tation': 'hes-i-tation', not 'hesitaton'. The root verb 'hesitate' retains its 'i' in the noun form.

💬 Examples

  1. After a moment of hesitation, she accepted the job offer.

  2. His hesitation in the middle of the sentence made the audience wonder if he had forgotten his lines.

  3. She showed no hesitation in confronting her boss about the unfair treatment.

  4. The committee's hesitation on the matter frustrated those who wanted immediate action.

  5. The fencer used a hesitation to draw his opponent into a premature parry.