Hesitation
ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən
Definitions
2 meaningsThe act of pausing before doing something, usually due to doubt or reluctance.
ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən
The action of pausing or delaying before acting or speaking.
He showed no hesitation in helping.
💡 Simply: It's like when you're about to do something, but you stop for a second because you're not sure if it's the right thing to do. Like when you're about to dive into a pool but check the water first!
👶 For kids: When you stop for a little bit before you do something.
More Examples
Her hesitation gave her opponent time to react.
The company's hesitation to innovate led to their decline.
How It's Used
"There was a moment of hesitation before she replied."
"Hesitation can be a sign of internal conflict or uncertainty."
"The client's hesitation to sign the contract raised concerns."
The state of being unwilling or reluctant; a feeling of doubt or uncertainty.
ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən
Reluctance or unwillingness.
There was a lot of hesitation before she agreed to the proposal.
💡 Simply: It's when you're not so sure you want to do something, like when your mom asks if you want to eat your broccoli.
👶 For kids: Feeling a little bit unsure or not wanting to do something.
More Examples
His hesitation indicated a lack of commitment.
Her hesitation caused the project to fall behind schedule.
How It's Used
"His hesitation revealed a deep-seated fear."
"The government's hesitation in responding to the crisis was criticized."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
without hesitation
Immediately and without any doubt or delay.
"She offered her help without hesitation."
a moment's hesitation
A brief pause or delay before acting or speaking.
"Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped in to help."
From Middle French *hésitation*, from Latin *haesitatio* ('a sticking, stammering'), from the verb *haesitare* ('to stick, stammer'), related to *haerere* ('to stick').
Used in older texts to describe pausing or faltering in speech, and also used in contexts of moral decision-making.
Memory tip
Think of a hesitant person pausing before a decision.